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Parking fines are ‘truly shocking’
CCTV cameras in three St John’s Wood streets were responsible for more than 3,000 parking tickets in 2008, it has been revealed.
The figures emerged following a Freedom of Information request from a parking campaigner in the area.
The parking tickets were issued in Circus Road (1549 tickets), St John’s Wood High Street (890 tickets) and Abbey Road (566 tickets).
Leader of the Labour group, Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg said: “These figures are truly shocking. Westminster Conservatives are fleecing motorists of thousands of pounds for minor parking offences.
“Shopkeepers in
St John’s Wood High Street and Abbey Road are having their business severely damaged by Westminster’s money-grabbing parking policies.
“At a time of tough economic conditions, the last thing local shopkeepers want is the council frightening off their customers with constant parking fines.
“The time has come for a fundamental review of the use of CCTV to issue parking tickets in residential streets in St John’s Wood, Maida Vale and Paddington.”
The council opposes Labour’s interpretation, claiming residents and shopkeepers “welcomed” the use of CCTV.
Cllr Danny Chalkey, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: “These three streets in St John’s Wood and Maida Vale are particularly busy and local residents have told us they welcome the use of CCTV to enforce parking there.
“Local business have also said they welcome the cameras as they help prevent crime and anti-social behaviour.
“If you break these figures down, however, it equates to CCTV cameras helping to issue less than 30 tickets a week in Circus Road,
17 tickets a week in
St John’s Wood High Street and just 11 tickets a week in Abbey Road.
“Seen in this light, these figures are in no way ‘shocking’ and it’s also important to note that every single penny collected from parking fines is ploughed straight back into
transport and parking improvements in Westminster.” |
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