Greenwich Council has collected £2.5 million from penalty notices issued in its low-traffic neighbourhood, councillors have been told.
The council had issued 47,836 notices between January and the end of May, bringing in £2,495,000.
Most drivers are barred from making north-south through trips on weekdays between 3pm and 7pm on a number of roads across Greenwich and Blackheath, from Westcombe Hill in the east to Point Hill in the west. The restrictions were brought into place in November, but charges were only issued from January 2.
The clampdown is aimed at tackling traffic queues and antisocial behaviour from drivers seeking to avoid the A2 by using residential streets. An initial attempt at an LTN in 2020 covered just streets west of Greenwich Park, but it was blamed for problems shifting east.
The current scheme covers both sides of the park, but there have been complaints about problems shifting to Charlton with drivers following instructions from their sat-navs, as well as increased queues on other boundary roads. There has also been criticism of poor signage, which delayed the introduction of penalty charges.
A lack of reliable, up-to-date public traffic data means it is difficult to assess the effects of the LTN, particularly since the opening of the Silvertown Tunnel in April.
More than 10,000 penalty charge notices were issued in January, February and March – peaking at over 13,000 in February – dropping to 8,303 in May. Just 5,000 were issued in April, a month containing a two-week school holiday.
By law, income from penalty charge notices must be reinvested back into transport projects, including paying the council’s share of the Freedom Pass scheme, rather than going straight into the town hall’s general coffers.
The figures were released in response to a written question from Conservative opposition leader Matt Hartley at last week’s full council meeting. The cost of the scheme was put at £751,000.
Hartley asked Averil Lekau, the council’s deputy leader, what she thought of the figures, saying: “The number of fines being issued remains extremely high, starting the year above 10,000, and still about 8,000 a month. Given the council’s aim is to change behaviour, that doesn’t exactly suggest success.”
Lekau refused to be drawn, responding: “You can see that there’s a downward trend which shows there’s more compliance. But until I look at all the data in its entirety, it would be premature for me to comment at this stage.”
A consultation into the scheme, which is an 18-month trial, ended last week. Traffic data is still being compiled, and is due to be published along with the consultation results in September.
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