Threat of new anti-car fines on Haringey residents 10/01/04

Peter Forrest, Conservative GLA Candidate for Enfield-Haringey, today warned that local residents across Enfield-Haringey could face a barrage of new fines for driving on local roads, extending the anger already felt by millions of motorists over fines from poorly located speed cameras.

Under the Government’s proposals for new laws, hundreds of extra traffic cameras could be installed at junctions, with drivers who stop in yellow box junctions facing fines of up to £100; council traffic wardens would also be given powers to fine motorists. In addition, the DVLA has separately announced it will automatically fine drivers £80 who do not renew their car tax disc without writing to the agency – even if the car was not being used.

Peter Forrest commented:

“We all want our roads to be safer and reduce the instances of dangerous or irresponsible driving. But there is growing public concern that as with speed cameras, these new fines are merely a way of raising money from
Enfield-Haringey's already heavily taxed motorists.

If anything, we should be reforming the existing regime of speed cameras. There needs to be an independent audit of existing speed cameras across Enfield-Haringey so that they are placed only in genuine accident black
spots, and local speed limits should reflect the danger of the road – such as 20 mph limits near schools. Some speeding offences do not merit the automatic award of penalty points in addition to fines but the most
dangerous roads should see penalty points being raised from three to four or five. Any revenue from fines should be tightly ring-fenced solely for improving road safety.”

ENDS.

Notes to Editors

The new laws are in the Traffic Management Bill, debated in the House of Commons on 5 January. The new laws will affect England and Wales. In Wales, the new powers of the Secretary of State would be allocated to the Welsh Assembly.

A House of Commons Library brief on the Bill is available at: http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp2003/rp03-092.pdf

The separate Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) proposals to fine motorists £80 were exposed on 1 January: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3361405.stm