Croydon's most colourful cabbie to protest fines for 'impossible' right turn

Drivers have been blitzed with fines after a member of the public complained about the shortcut they take to the taxi rank at East Croydon station.

The council says the 230 charges dished out since late October are for illegal right turns from Addiscombe Road onto Cherry Orchard Road.

But it faces sifting through hundreds if appeals from drivers, who insist the route the council claims they take is not even possible.

Denise Borg, whose dazzling pink cab is famous on Croydon's roads, has been stung with five penalty charge notices in a month - having previously used the junction without trouble for 14 years.

Ms Borg, of Gravel Hill, Addington, said: "There is a traffic island straight ahead of you so there is no way you can turn right. You have to turn left, which we do. Then we do a u-turn because our turning circle allows it.

"Some guy who works in one of the offices saw a taxi doing it and nearly went into the back of him.

"But the point is in 14 years there has never been an accident, but because one member of the public complained they have issued 230 tickets to taxi drivers. On what grounds?"

Ms Borg, who estimates around 300 taxi drivers use the rank on Billinton Hill, plans to appeal her charges.

Denise at the problem junction

She said: "We know the area like the back of our hand and we are not doing anything wrong. It seems to be a nice little earner for the council."

Ms Borg believes he eye-catching carriage, which she believes is the only of its shade in London, makes her a particular target for the council.

Her taxi has starred on the BBC's Don't Tell the Bride, in which she carried a bride to her underwater wedding.

A council spokesman said: "Following a request from a member of the public who was alarmed by what he considered the dangerous behaviour of taxi drivers ignoring a 'turn left only' sign, monitoring of the junction of Addiscombe Road and Addiscombe Grove was begun.

The junction is left-turn only

"It became evident that vehicles were turning right to get to Cherry Orchard Road, in direct contravention of roadside and road-surface direction signs.

"This is a clear breach of traffic regulations and potentially hazardous to other road users.

"The issuing of penalty-charge notices in relation to this offence started on 28 October, and, while it may have been a manoeuvre the taxis had previously undertaken without penalty, the layout of the junction makes it very dangerous."