Croydon cab driver faces £14,000 in fines for driving through LTN near his home

A Croydon cabbie has been hit with more than 100 fines for driving through a restricted zone near his house.

Prince Ameyaw says he now owes Croydon council £14,000 and has been threatened with court action.

The 27-year-old has received a stack of letters for driving through the Parsons Mead low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) – he got the first one in December.

Prince lives in Nelson Close and residents of this road are allowed to drive through the LTN but have to apply for a free permit.

The father-of-two already has a has a parking permit for the area, which he pays £130 for and thought this would mean he was able to drive into the area.

He has got so many tickets after driving past the cameras numerous times a day as he uses his car for work as an Uber and Bolt cab driver.

At first he didn’t know he was receiving  fines as he rents his car and the letters were going to the hire company.

He added: “Sometimes I receive 20 tickets a day. It has caused me stress, big time, any time I receive a letter I get scared.

“When I started getting the tickets I sent my proof of address and showed every piece of my [parking] permit, I wrote a lot of emails to the council but they didn’t reply, all they are doing is sending more tickets.

“Because of my work I have to drive, and since I’ve had children I got a parking permit. I’ve got two children under two – you don’t want to park far away and walk.

“If the [LTN] permit is free it doesn’t make sense that we have to apply for it, everything is on the database they know that I live here and park my car here.”

Prince has already paid £50 to a solicitor for advice on what to do next and says he is worried that the council will call the bailiffs on him if he doesn’t pay up.

He continued: “I wouldn’t be able to pay it if I had to, I am already struggling with my family.

“I worry a lot all the time thinking about this, what is going to happen.”

And like others in the area, he claims that he wasn’t told about the new camera before it was installed, despite living in the affected area.

The Parsons Mead Action Group was set up in response to the LTN and is campaigning for its removal.

A Croydon council spokesperson said: “Several notices and communications outlining the new scheme and exemption permit process were made available to residents living within the boundary of the Broad Green Healthy Neighbourhood.

“Further, a grace period was in place prior to PCNs being issued to allow drivers time to get used to the changes. Residents eligible for permits must ensure they apply for them in order to avoid PCNs.”

Pictured top: Nelson Close