Lambeth and Croydon Drivers Have Traffic Fines Overturned Amid Controversy
Drivers in Lambeth and Croydon are celebrating as recent traffic fines get overturned, raising questions about local enforcement practices
Lambeth, Croydon, Traffic Fines, Bus Lane, Enforcement Cameras, London
Lambeth: So, it turns out that some drivers in Lambeth and Croydon have had their traffic fines tossed out. Crazy, right? The motoring association found that at least six councils were dishing out £130 fines without proper paperwork.
Between December and January, two fines in Lambeth and one in Croydon were overturned. An adjudicator said the councils didn’t show enough evidence to back up the fines. Basically, the rules they were enforcing weren’t even valid at the time.
In one case, a driver got fined for using a bus lane, but it turned out the restriction had expired almost a year before. Lambeth claims the rules are valid now, but they messed up the paperwork during the appeal.
The AA thinks this is just the beginning. They believe many more drivers are paying fines without knowing they could challenge them. It’s a bit of a mess, really.
They also pointed out that fines should only be given when the rules are clear and valid. Plus, there have been cases where councils didn’t provide the right certification for their enforcement cameras.
Now, the Department for Transport is looking to revamp the rules that govern local road restrictions. The AA found that over half of the appeals against bus lane fines were either upheld or not contested last year. That’s a lot of drivers!
It’s frustrating that people have to go through the hassle of appealing when the fines could have been dropped right away. A spokesperson from Lambeth said they’re addressing the paperwork issue with their team.
They also mentioned that if someone feels they’ve been unfairly ticketed, they can challenge it through the proper channels. Croydon Council hasn’t commented yet, but it’s clear there’s a lot to unpack here.