Drivers nabbed by a camera at an “illegal” box junction are outraged that they will not have their fines refunded.
Fines charged to drivers stopping in the junction between Horsell Road and Drayton Park were deemed “illegal” last week when a council worker was let off a penalty, arguing in court that he had to drive into the box to avoid oncoming traffic.
David Tucker, 45, lives on nearby Witherington Road, and had a £60 fine slapped on him two years ago for stopping in the box.
“My tyre was touching the box,” he said. “It’s crazy. How does stopping in an illegal box make me the guilty one?
“I won’t waste my time getting my money back. I know what it’s like trying to get anything from this council.”
Taxi driver Mr Tucker said his wife’s niece had also received a fine two months ago. “It’s scandalous,” he said. “If you’re going to pull out here, you often have to stop or the traffic will hit you, but in those four or five seconds the camera nabs you.
“There’s not a day goes by that I don’t tell someone who’s touching the box with their wheels that they’re about to get caught.”
He added: “This is one of the most fine-crazy cameras in Islington. Two weeks ago a woman hailed my cab at 5am on a Sunday night and even then I saw the camera turning towards me. It’s outrageous.”
Councillor Paul Smith, executive member for the environment, admitted that the markings were “mildly incorrect”, and said he would discuss redrawing them at the road traffic meeting on 23 March. “I can’t say it’ll be fixed tomorrow, but I’d rather it was changed sooner than later,” he said.
“Drawing these markings is quite a precise art. Technically it’s wrong, but I would ask people to respect the fact that it’s a box junction and not stop there.”
