Brits have received a staggering £100million in fines for driving through low-traffic 'green zones' in just the last three years in a scheme deemed a 'cash cow' by critics.
Analysis shows councils have gained the huge receipts from some 1.1 million charges dished out between 2019 and 2022.
During that time town halls were handed hundreds of millions of pounds to establish low-traffic neighbourhood (LTN) schemes in a bid to encourage city workers to travel and cycle to work.
Local authorities appear to be reaping the benefits from drivers passing through such areas — although the Mayor of London says all money made from fines must be reinvested in improving transport.
According to the Express, TaxPayers Alliance research found that just fifteen councils accounted for £95 million in fines on motorists for LTN violations during that period.
England has 333 local authorities in total.
A freedom of information request by the same outlet found that the number and value of fines imposed increased 97 fold during the the course of the three years.
This can be broken down as the following:
- 2019/20 - 13,048 fines with a potential value of £701,675
- 2020/21 - 372,257 fines, with a potential value of £25,786,367
- 2021/22 - 752,988 fines with a potential value of £68,147,135 in 2021/22
Unsurprisingly the five councils that imposed the most fines by value are all London boroughs - namely Lambeth, Ealing, Lewisham, Southwark and Hounslow.
Lambeth alone handed out 147,612 in fines, worth a total of £19,189,560 - an average of exactly £130.
Elliot Keck, investigations campaign manager at the TaxPayers' Alliance, told the Express : "Taxpayers will be worried that LTNs are just another cash cow to fill council coffers.
"Residents are already driven round the bend by some of these schemes, which seem designed to punish drivers more than achieving traffic reductions.
"Councils should put the brakes on LTNs and ensure they're working for local residents and road users."
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: "All money boroughs receive from PCN fines legally must be reinvested in improving transport in the borough.
"Low Traffic Neighbourhoods are council-run schemes and are helping to tackle our city’s filthy air quality, supporting the huge increase in cycling and walking since the pandemic, and also making roads safer.
"LTNs reduce road dangers and clear up London’s air to make communities safer and greener. Boroughs are continuing to work closely with residents, emergency services and local retailers to make improvements where needed.
"It’s vital that we don’t replace one health crisis with another caused by air pollution. Bold decisions must be taken to help save the lives of Londoners and ensure we are creating a better, safer and greener city for all Londoners."
