Hammersmith and Fulham: Drivers could face fines for taking shortcut routes

The council hopes that the move would reduce congestion in the borough

Non-residents could be fined for driving in parts of a west London borough, under new council proposals.

Hammersmith and Fulham Council wants to use cameras to catch and fine drivers using some roads as a shortcut.

The council said the trial on Wandsworth Bridge Road and streets to the west, would cut "toxic air" as well as easing congestion.

Some residents and business owners have claimed it would unfairly affect non-locals and worsen congestion elsewhere.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) vehicles registered to addresses in the area, emergency services vehicles, taxis and buses would still be allowed to pass through unimpeded under the council plans.

• Residents protest over low-traffic zones

• Controversial low-traffic scheme made permanent

• Low income communities breathe dirtier air - study

Speaking at a council meeting on Wednesday, Sharon Holder - who is responsible for the public realm at the council - insisted that "all areas and properties remain accessible to vehicle traffic by road without going through cameras".

She said this meant that residents of neighbouring areas and further away would be "able to access friends and family, shops and businesses in south Fulham without the need to drive through any access restrictions".

To enforce the scheme, the council said it was planning to install number plate recognition cameras in south Fulham on Wandsworth Bridge Road and in the streets to the west of the road.

The council wants to start on consultation on the plans in November

A consultation on the plans would begin in November, Ms Holder told the meeting.

One resident Caroline Brooman-White said: "I am very concerned for the local businesses in south Fulham."

She asked: "Would it be possible to allow residents in the neighbouring boroughs of Wandsworth and Kensington and Chelsea to travel freely on our roads in Hammersmith and Fulham without paying fines for going through the traffic cameras?"

A similar project has been underway in the east part of south Fulham for the last two years, which the council claimed had been successful.

The council's deputy leader Ben Coleman said the scheme had reduced the number of cars in the area by 8,000 and resulted in a reduction in CO2 emissions by one tonne a day.

But Ms Brooman-White said: "I don't know whether you all really, really understand that if the new scheme in the west were to come in there will be no right turn onto the Wandsworth Bridge Road for non-residents."

Conservative councillor Adrian Pascu-Tulbure said despite some residents being supportive of the proposals, there were others who feared the new scheme would move congestion elsewhere and accused the council of not properly consulting people about the plans.

He said: "Nobody wants pollution and no none wants their neighbours living in pollution either.

"In the interest of fairness, there are concerns… what do they do if their boiler breaks and they need to get a plumber in from Wandsworth?"

Hammersmith and Fulham council have proposed the set-up would be trialled for between six and 18 months.

Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail]