Havering drivers pay more than £12m in traffic fines in less than a decade
The borough’s most profitable camera is installed at the exit of B&Q Romford onto Tangent Link, Harold Hill. - Credit: Google
More than £12million in fines has been collected from Havering drivers over the past six years, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.
Since 2016, when Havering Council took control of traffic enforcement cameras, the local authority has issued 211,432 Fixed Penalty Notices to motorists.
In the 2020/21 financial year alone, the borough’s 32 traffic cameras, which monitor bus lanes, one-way traffic and right or left turns, made £2.6m.
Council leader Cllr Damian White said the cameras protect the public and only punish those who “abuse the laws and rules of the road”.
The most profitable camera in terms of fines issued nabs drivers who turn right out of B&Q Romford onto Tangent Link, Harold Hill.
The council issued 13,202 fines to drivers there in the 2020/21 financial year, adding £853,729 to the public purse. Since 2017, the camera has made just over £3m.
Drivers who passed through Queen’s Hospital's ‘buses and emergency vehicles only’ gate on Oldchurch Rise forked out £491,829 in the last year. - Credit: Google
Visitors to Queen’s Hospital who passed through the "buses and emergency vehicles only" gate on Oldchurch Rise forked out £491,829 in 2020/21.
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Since its installation in August 2017, the hospital camera, which is controlled by the council, made £2.6m.
The NHS trust which manages the hospital - Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT) - has even made a webpage to redirect queries from the public.
Since 2016, a "no right turn" camera in Western Road, Romford has netted £851,197.
At £274,337, last year (2020/21) was the camera’s most lucrative so far.
The bus lane and "no right turn" on North Street have made £690,166 since 2016, although drivers are learning their lesson as income has dropped to £87,055 in 2020/21.
The 3,753 drivers who found themselves in the bus lane on Straight Road, Harold Hill, over the 2020/21 period paid a total of £197,000. Since 2016, drivers have paid £839,744 for infractions there.
A bus gate in Saint Clements Avenue, Harold Wood, was installed in 2020 and has already made £125,946.
Before it was installed, 700 consultation letters were sent out to locals, but only 11 replied, with seven against its installation.
Havering’ highways advisory committee recently recommended the installation of cameras to enforce moving traffic contraventions at 13 new sites across the borough.
Cllr White said: “All funds gained from these cameras are ring-fenced and reinvested back into our highways and transport services to improve roads and travel across the borough.”
