A little advice please.
Several Saturdays ago there was a question in the Motoring Section about somebody who had been fined for dropping somebody at the kerb near Ealing Broadway station despite having not switched off her engine.
HJ raised the point that there was the strong possibility that the fine was illegal- the person had been 'caught' I believe through the use of CCTV trained on a certain point of the road where there are yellow lines. There used to be a station car park where you could pull in to, but this has now been closed as far as I am aware.
HJ, you mentioned a website that was worth a look to see whether the fine could be challenged, and unfortunately I have been unable to find the paper to find that website.
At the same time (Feb 08) my brother was caught 5 times by the same camera at £50 a time. For quite a period before he dropped his partner outside the station (stopping for no more than about 10 seconds on each occasion) for her to catch the train, and then this new scam was introduced and he was caught every day for one week. Unfortunately the first fine didn't come through until the following week, so he had no idea that there was a problem until he received the first. The following 4 appeared over the next 4 days. He duly paid without thinking that it was worth challenging it, but he may try if it turns out that the council, or whoever they contracted to, was acting illegally.
It sounds as though the fines were only collected over this 1 week period, during which time approx £250k was raised, and it sounds as though there was a huge uproar at the time.
If someone knows the website, please could they pass it on, and also please could we have any further advice on whether it is worth pursuing to get reimbursed.
Many thanks
Nick
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Thanks DD, it wasn't that one, but I have just found the article I was referring to. There are a lot of reports on parking problems within the station, but my brother (and countless others it seems) was caught on the main road, by the use of CCTV.
It may be worth trying to appeal, although seeing as he has already paid it would probably be a difficult task.
Things like this just really annoy me though!!!
Below is the wording from the article in case it may help others.
In February my daughter was photographed outside Ealing railway station. She was looking for somewhere to wait and hadn't switched off her car engine. She then received notice of a fine. Should she pay? And what would happen if she doesn't?
C.G., via email
You can't be done just for stopping, otherwise everyone who ever did so near a surveillance camera would get a ticket. The law allowing surveillance camera evidence to be used against drivers did not come into force until March 31 this year. Consult Barrie Segal at www.appealnow.com.
Edited by hillman1 {p} on 04/06/2008 at 15:39
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"You can't be done just for stopping, otherwise everyone who ever did so near a surveillance camera would get a ticket. "
That probably explains why TfL included a photo of my car door being open when I dropped off someone at London King's Cross station on a Red Route a while ago. (You first read it here!)
I've been back to do the same maybe 20 times since (but now park around the corner, as I don't even trust the so called loading bays now either) and every time I see maybe 2 or 3 cars doing what I did. I reckon at 60 cars an hour for 12 hours a day they collect around £300,000 per 7 day week.
I remember there was once a time you could actually drop someone off at a station quite legally. It was probably around the time that the police used to respond to 999 calls - but that was ages ago now.
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The Ealing Broadway station forecourt is private land, not council owned etc. I can remember from when I worked nearby that clampers literally haunted the place - often causing obstruction while clamping a car that wasn't...
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Ealing are among London's most diabolical camera sharks, ranking with Soho. Never, ever, accept without query a postal allegation from Ealing that you have contravened one of its parking or bus lane regulations, especially if a camera is involved. It specialises in trick places where the sensible driver who wants to ease traffic flow is then accused of theoretically holding up buses or some similar carp.
It is completely outrageous to take a snap of a stationary car with the driver in place and then claim that it was 'parked'. Clip joint stuff really, like charging an 18-year-old £75 for a soft drink he has incautiously bought for one of the house doxies, and threatening to beat him up if he doesn't pay. Those responsible should be sent to boot camp.
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I was of the understanding that you are allowed to stop on double yellow lines to drop off passengers. If so, these cameras aren't doing their jobs properly (unless you sit and have a 5 minute chat before dropping them off).
Red routes are a different matter (as I understand it). Strictly no stopping at kerb for any reason. They are a good idea and should be enforced as huge jams can be caused on some busy roads just because someone is waiting to pick someone up from the hairdressers.
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DE
I think of you every time I drive to KC station to drop somebody off, and raise a virtual toast to another saved £60. Indeed every time I see a red line.
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