A local authority has failed to refund around £1.3million in fines to motorists who entered an “unlawful” low traffic neighbourhood scheme in south London.
In June, Lambeth Council was ordered by the High Court to tear down the LTN in West Dulwich which banned out-of-town drivers.
However, a Freedom of Information request revealed the “total income generated from the scheme is £1,465,875.96, including income refunded and left for the refund”.
However, only 1,662 penalty charge notices worth £126,715 had been repaid by September 26.
The West Dulwich Action Group brought a legal challenge and asked the court to stop plans for the LTN after it ignored “legitimate” concerns of residents that it would increase traffic and adversely affect air quality.
A spokesman for WDAG told the Sunday Telegraph: “Other councils, including Southwark and Hackney, have accepted responsibility and refunded motorists when their fines were ruled unlawful.
“Lambeth’s failure to do the same is unacceptable.
“At the very least, those motorists whose details are still on record should have already been repaid.
“Had Lambeth acted promptly when the judgment was issued, far more people would have had their money back by now.
“Instead, once again, we are forced to hold Lambeth to account.
“They repeatedly tell residents that schemes are imposed ‘for our own good’, but this handling of refunds shows quite the opposite.”
A spokesman for Labour-run Lambeth told the Standard: “We continue to refund fines, and have set out a clear process that will remain open to anyone affected for the foreseeable future.”
Judge Tim Smith ruled in WDAG’s favour saying the council’s consultation process was lawful, though some elements “could undoubtedly have been improved upon”.
He said that the way the council considered input from engagement with the public was unlawful.
During a hearing earlier this year, the court was told that Lambeth workers were offered a wellbeing day after “hostility and anger” at a meeting over the proposed scheme.
WDAG’s lawyers described the meeting at West Norwood Library in April 2023 as a “fiasco” that lasted six hours, after which council workers were only able to record 21 responses because of the difficulties.
