After numbers revealed that a London council was expected to earn £22 million from low traffic neighborhood (LTN) penalties in a single year, it was today charged with “grotesque profiteering.”
Over the course of the previous 12 months, authorities in Lambeth, southeast London, have issued 183,192 penalty charges.
Lambeth council could have made a huge £21,983,040 in fine revenue with fines costing £120, or £65 if paid within two weeks.
Alternatively, The Telegraph stated that the council would have been slightly better off over the time if every car had paid the tax on time.
A London council was today charged with “grotesque profiteering” after statistics revealed that it was expected to earn £22 million from low traffic neighborhood (LTN) penalties in a single year.
183,192 penalty charges have been issued by Lambeth, south-east London, officials in the previous year.
The highest amount Lambeth council could have collected is a staggering £21,983,040, with fines costing £120, or £65 if they are paid within two weeks.
Alternately, according to The Telegraph, the council would have been slightly better off throughout the time period if every vehicle had paid the levy on time.
In the previous two years, more than 300 car-free zones have been established or are in the planning stages around the UK.
The plans include temporary bike lanes, bigger sidewalks, and a driving ban on some routes.
They are enforced via CCTV cameras and warning signs.
It’s an enormous amount of money, a spokeswoman for the anti-LTN group One Lambeth told The Telegraph.
Having these fines in this extreme environment is a little ludicrous since people are struggling to pay their bills, are on strike due to poor earnings, and are battling with gasoline prices.
‘It’s an abuse of power in a climate where people are struggling financially.’