Lynne Featherstone

Lordship Lane is the most lucrative road for any council in Britain, bringing in £3.2 million a year through parking and bus lane fines and other penalties. A freedom of information request by Channel 4 News online revealed that nearly 32,000 Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) were issued on the road in a year, bringing in a large proportion of the £18 million raised annually for Haringey through fines across the borough.

Councillor Martin Newton, Lib Dem Spokesperson for the Environment, comments:

“Traffic calming measures are very important when they are being used to increase road safety, but when a single road is bringing in this much cash for the Council, questions need to be asked. The figures show that almost 90 penalties a day are being issued, making Lordship Lane drivers the most penalised in the entire country.

“The Labour-run council’s reliance on penalty fines to balance its books is concerning. There is a feeling amongst motorists in the borough that they are not being treated fairly by the Council, and that there is a spirit of trying to catch them out. If rules are broken, then people should have to pay, but the Council should not be treating this as a cash cow to be exploited – it should be hoping to change people’s behaviour on the road.”

Councillor Wayne Hoban, Tottenham Lib Dem spokesperson, states:

“Obviously there is a need to curb irresponsible parking and driving for the greater good, but this is yet another hidden tax introduced by a Labour council not only bankrupt of ideas, but also incapable of balancing its books. It is nothing short of scandalous that Labour Haringey should hit Tottenham motorists with such heavy-handed penalties designed to plug gaping holes in their budgets rather than improve traffic management.”

Note: for more information, see www.channel4.com/news/foi/2006/parking/parking_fines_by_london_borough.html