CCTV Riversdale Road
Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 2010-08-06 10:37.I have requested further enquiry and full report from Islington Council who are sailing very close to the wind with regard to democratic and legal processes.
I paid two Penalty Charge Notices due to their threatening nature and fear of reprisals or escalating costs if I did not do so. The council seem to think that payment is acceptance of the situation but that is most certainly not the case.
The controversy surrounds Penalty Charge Notices issued from CCTV camera 31 situated in Riversdale Road, Islington, N5 just off the junction with Green Lane whilst my car was being driven in London.
The driver, unfamiliar with the area and using sat nav, turned into Riversdale Road from Green lane and was immediately faced with a situation where he believed collision with bollards was inevitable had he taken the designated route so he slowly and cautiously drove through the central gap since stopping for any length of time or attempting to turn would have been dangerous. This happened again 2 days later when the driver suddenly found himself again in the same position. I visited the site on Sunday and in my opinion this is a trap for unfamiliar motorists who are immediately confronted by bollards that do not look negotiable, the signage is very confusing, there is not a no entry in the centre gap which is very wide and inviting, a broken cross hatch indicates you may enter if it is safe to do so and blue keep left is a positive instruction that should be adhered too under normal circumstances. These are not normal circumstances. I have obtained from freedom of information, Islington, camera records that show 2389 contraventions 38jl (Failing to comply with a sign indicating that vehicular traffic must pass to the specified side of the sign in Riversdale Road, N5.) Since 2/1/2010. I am awaiting response from Islington Council who are looking into the matter and have also requested further information from freedom of information regarding successful appeals from this site. My initial representations to the council have been rejected and the grounds of appeal on the PATAS form are very limited.
PATAS have since advised that payment closes the issue and appeals will not be considered.
Thank you Peter Gruner, Islington Tribune, for the article last Friday which has promulgated a healthy response. It is time that honest tax payers stood up to apparent injustices like this..To be continued..Kind Regards. David Burr, East Sussex