Revealed: Sutton Council's top 10 favourite spy car hotspots
3:13pm Tuesday 2nd April 2013 in News By Mike Pyle
One of the CCTV cars One of the CCTV cars
The top ten spots where drivers have been caught out by the borough's CCTV cars have been revealed.
More than 1,300 people were fined in Sutton's top 10 CCTV car hotspots in just three months, according to a freedom of information (FoI) request.
Almost 500 of these happened in just two streets - Grovesnor Road in Wallington and Green Wrythe Lane in Carshalton - prompting opponents to brand the CCTV-fitted Smart Cars a "stealth tax" on motorists.
Four Roads out of the top ten are in Wallington and in one street - Lodge Place near Sutton town centre - there were 81 fines handed out in three months despite it being under 300ft long.
Conservative Councillor Tony Shields said: "If Sutton wants to persist in stealth taxes then it should be honestly described and for a specific purpose like removing the resident permit charge or making car parks free for the first hour borough-wide.
"That's what I would do with the revenue and residents would not feel predated upon so much if they saw this in action."
The CCTV cars were originally introduced in Sutton to patrol areas outside schools but that remit was extended to cover all parking infringements in 2011.
Within a year the vehicles had recorded over £1m in fines and sparked anger by stopping on double yellow lines and disabled bays while they recorded other peoples' infringements.
Liberal Democrat Coun Graham Tope, vice chairman of Sutton Council’s environment and neighbourhoods committee, said: "Opinion surveys have shown that inconsiderate parking is the third highest cause for concern from residents throughout the borough.
"The CCTV cars are there to respond to that concern and ensure the safety of pedestrians and road users.
"Motorists who park considerately and obey the rules of the road have nothing to fear. Of course, we recognise that mistakes are sometimes made and that is why we have a robust appeals process which can investigate disputed cases."
Last month we reported on a 72-year-old who has turned vigilante by following the cars and warning other drivers they are being recorded.
The top 10 ranked by number of fines handed out between November 1, 2012, and January 31, 2013:
Grosvenor Road, Wallington: 250
Green Wrythe Lane, Carshalton: 222
Stafford Road, Wallington: 143
Beddington Gardens, Wallington: 137
Middleton Road, St Helier: 122
High Street, Sutton: 121
Wrythe Lane, The Wrythe: 109
Manor Road, Wallington: 93
Lodge Place, Sutton: 86
Thornton Road, St Helier: 71
It seems to me that the hypocrisy of this is appalling. There is nothing moral about it at all either. Just seems like a 'do what we say not as we do' to the highest degree!
The 'road safety' guise is a sham and the Council ought to be held to account.
Just Highway Robbery.
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