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Croydon Council deprived of £70,000 in traffic camera revenue

LDRS Ricky with two local supportersLDRS
Ricky (centre) has been joined in his campaign by two men who received fixed penalty notices for driving in the "school street" zone

A man who stood in the road warning drivers of a traffic camera says he has saved road users £70,000 in fines.

Ricky believes drivers have been unfairly penalised for entering the "school street" zone in Croydon, south London, because the signs are unclear.

Nearly every weekday for six weeks, he stood at the entrance to the zone with a banner urging drivers to turn around.

Croydon Council said its signs were "compliant", but it would erect more signage warning drivers of the zone.

Drivers are penalised for entering Haling Road near Harris Primary Academy between 08:30 and 09:00 and 14:00 and 16:00 on weekdays in term-time.

It is one of 26 zones introduced near schools in the borough, with the stated aim of protecting children from pollution and traffic accidents. Motorists caught on the road during those hours have been fined up to £130.

LDRS The warning sign at Haling RoadLDRS
Ricky believes the sign at Haling Road is not clear enough

Ricky, 55, said he had stopped 50 drivers in one afternoon who were unaware of the rules. "I think I've cut their income by well over half," he said. "In six weeks I stopped more than 700 people - that is £70,000 in fines,

"I still think it is just revenue-based; the cameras serve no purpose as cars are still able to drive down the road when kids are leaving school. If they really wanted to stop cars, there would be a barrier there. I do think it needs advance warning; I hope it will help."

He said some people had been so grateful they had brought him chocolates to thank him.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that many people who have been fined on Haling Road have unsuccessfully appealed to the Environment and Traffic Adjudicators, although in one case the authority told Croydon Council to cancel a fixed penalty notice, because the warning signs were not adequate.

A Croydon Council spokesperson said the Haling Road scheme had been reviewed, and a decision had been taken to install more notices.

"The extra signage will go beyond the legal requirements, and act as an extra advanced warning for drivers entering the Haling Road school street," the spokesperson said.