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Daily Record
Daily Record
World
Liam Buckler & Hannah Mackenzie Wood

Stunned builder receives 51 driving fines in one day totalling more than £6,000

A builder was left in disbelief after receiving 51 driving penalties in just one day, totalling a £6,000 fine.

John Barrett was issued the charges - which cost £130 a time - after repeatedly driving down a residents-only road during his trips to the gym in Chiswick, west London.

The 54-year-old said the charges amounted over a five-month period, but were all posted through his letterbox on the same day earlier this month, the Mirror reports.

He only found out about the fines when his stunned wife Lisa, also 54, told him that more than 50 letters had arrived - with the penalties adding up to £6,350.

However, the dad-of-three claims that he has a permit which allows his Tesla to use the route without penalty - and the fines have been issued incorrectly.

This lead to John to fire off emails corresponding to each letter to Hounslow Council, who he claims would not accept a blanket response.

He said: "It's ridiculous, no warning or anything. No letter to say you've been caught on camera driving on this road and we don't think you should be.

Mr Barrett, who is a resident of the area, says all of the 51 fines have been wrongly issued to him. (SWNS)

“It’s incredible. Imagine if I was someone really vulnerable. Not to mention that my permit allows me to use that road.

"The cost to the tax payer must have been massive - each notice has three screenshots of my car.

"The time it takes them to print out those screenshots and put the letter in the envelope would cost a fortune.

"All they had to do was put my registration into their computer and they’d see I had a permit. This has taken so much of my time."

One of the penalty fines wrongly issued to John. (SWNS)

Mr Barrett says the traffic system in his area has changed rapidly in the last couple of years, with a rise in residents only roads and cycle lanes.

He also believes errors may have occurred because changes were made too fast and without warning.

The builder claims he was given seven penalties last year for driving to the gym, and replied to each one explaining he had a permit - but never heard back from the council.

Unhappy with their silence, he said: "What a waste of money.

"Two in five people are living in poverty here, and so many of us are worried about how to pay the bills at the moment.

"It's such a stress and it's not okay to give people no warning, and I have 28 days to pay but they get 56 days just to reply to an email.

The camera on Hartington Road, a residents only street. (SWNS)

"It's maddening. What are they doing that they need 56 days to write an email? I respond to over 50 emails a day."

Hounslow Council said: "Restrictions to access on Hartington Road are designed to reduce through traffic on residential roads, thereby improving air quality and safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

"Prior to the introduction of the restrictions, over 8000 vehicles passed through this road on an average week, consisting of mostly non-residents.

"Registered vehicles, belonging to local residents, are prevented from receiving penalty charges by using number plates and addresses which are checked to validate exemption.

"Unfortunately the lease company for Mr Barrett’s vehicle had provided incorrect address details meaning the exemption was not applied and penalty charges became valid. All charges have been cancelled."

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