Focus On Ealing Broadway Station Camera Fines
Ealing Today puts your questions to the council
As the Ealing Broadway Station drop off debate continues to dominate on the Ealing Today forum and beyond, we took some of your queries to the Council...
When was the camera put there? I gather tickets have been sent out dating back to June - was that when the camera went up or is that when people started pulling up in a different spot due to the security cones?
"The camera was installed at the beginning of May 07 and enforcement began on June 28.
"During June, around 1,000 dummy tickets were sent out with warning notices to drivers who had parked on the zig-zag lines and bus stops, advising them they could be fined for doing so again.
"The security cones and the dropping-off point outside the station belong to First Great Western and is not public land."
Are the scrutiny panel looking at making a significant change to the drop off procedure i.e space allocated for the purpose?
"The scrutiny panel does not have power to make or change decisions, but can make recommendations to the Cabinet.
The panel’s next meeting is in September."
Is there any chance the camera will be turned off after this outcry?
"There are currently no plans for turn the camera off. This is because drivers have an alternative which means they will not get fines.
"The alternative is to drop off their passengers on the yellow line opposite the station, alongside the pubs and the estate agents’ offices.
"They will not get a ticket for stopping there to drop people off for as long as is reasonable. This would normally take no more than 3-minutes but waiting with no sign of a person getting in or out is not allowed."
Is there any likelihood the zig-zag lines will be shortened as some have
called for?
"No. The zig-zag lanes are there for a reason – for the safety of both pedestrians and motorists. This is stated clearly in the Highway Code."
Has the Council issued any advice on how else to go about drop offs -
particularly for those with buggies, wheelchairs, luggage?
"We would hope that First Great Western would consider its responsibilities in terms of accessibility at Ealing Broadway Station and allow disabled people or those with luggage, wheelchairs etc to be dropped off on its land in front of the station."
Does the Council see this as being a TFL issue?
"This is not a TfL issue."
Will the signage be made more prominent?
"There are signs up by the bus stops warning people they should not park there. More signs will now be put up to make the situation even clearer to motorists.
"Also, the Council issued a press release on June 5 for the media to warn residents of that enforcement was going to begin in July. It would have been helpful to everyone if this issue was given more prominence at the time by all sections of the local media.
The press release was also posted on the Council website."
See press release below:
Stricter enforcement on illegal parking in town centres
Drivers who park illegally in town centres and congested areas are being warned they will be caught and fined from next week when Ealing Council steps up its enforcement action.
The Council will use its traffic CCTV cameras to spot motorists who:
park on zig-zag lines leading to pedestrian crossings
park in bus stops
park in bays set out only for businesses to use for loading and unloading.
In the last two weeks, more than 800 people have been caught but the Council has sent warning notices instead of fines.
Councillor Vlod Barczuk, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “There are clearly hundreds of people parking illegally and blocking up our roads every day.
“We are doing this to ensure a free flow of traffic in our town centres as bad parking leads to congestion and makes life worse for motorists.”
Ealing Council already uses its traffic enforcement CCTV cameras to monitor bus lanes and box junctions.
CCTV cameras used for community safety are not and will not be used for traffic enforcement.
The fine for being caught on zig-zag lines, bus stops and loading bays will be £80, or £40 if paid within 14 days. After 1 July, this will rise to £100 and £50, to be brought in line with a new London-wide charging system being introduced by the Mayor of London, Secretary of State for Transport and London Councils Transport and Environment Committee.
July 27, 2007
