Croydon man takes warning drivers about restricted zone into his own hands

By Tara O’Connor, Local Democracy Reporter

A Croydon man is warning drivers of traffic cameras he claims aren’t properly displayed.

Ricky says he managed to stop 50 drivers from getting fined for going through a restricted zone, in just two hours on Thursday, December 2.

The school street was introduced in Haling Road by Croydon Council meaning drivers face a £130 fine, £65 if paid within 14 days, for entering the road outside Harris Primary Academy from 8-9.30am and 2-4pm.

But the 55-year-old thinks the signs are not clear enough and sought to prove his point by standing in the road with a sign reading “£65 fine if you enter”.

He stopped a handful of people when the Local Democracy Reporting Service was there all who had missed the signs and were just about to turn into the road.

One driver got out of the car to read the sign fully in disbelief that the scheme has been in place for a year.

Ricky said: “It doesn’t matter what you say to Croydon council. This isn’t about protecting schools

“Croydon council will never, never put the right signage up.

“When school ended there were kids and parents walking in the middle of the road, if they really cared about safety it would be barricaded off, it shows that it is pure revenue.”

After his experiment Ricky estimates Croydon council could be making between £5,000-7,000-a-day from fines.

It was the first time Ricky has taken to the street to warn others of the school street and he now plans to do it again.

His partner was recently caught on the road but had to pay the fine after an unsuccessful appeal.

The couple also took it to an independent adjudicator after another Croydon resident successfully appealed their fine, but this was rejected too.

Dozens of people who have also been slapped with fines have posted about their anger on the Croydon Communities Consortium website.

The website displays the successful appeal from one local to the environment and traffic adjudicator – it directed Croydon Council to cancel a fine in February.

It found that the signs warning drivers of the restrictions weren’t “adequate to communicate the nature and extent of the restriction to motorists”.

At Haling Road, Ricky was joined by Simon Euan-Smith and Antonio Cerqueira.

Simon, 73, who was fined on the road last month, said: “I had no idea I’d gone through it until I got the letter through.

“I have appealed it and pointed out that appeals have been approved in the past.”

And Antonio claims he was slapped with a fine despite not fully driving down the road.

The 71-year-old said: “I turned into Haling Road but saw the signs and turned back but I still got a fine.

“I didn’t go past the signs but the camera caught me, I was shocked when I got the letter through.”

Croydon council was contacted for comment.

Pictured top: Ricky, Simon Euan-Smith and Antonio Cerqueira.