Concerns have been raised about the return of CCTV cars to film motorists at a controverisal junction in Gipsy Hill that gained the reputation as a "cash cow."
No fewer than 6,286 penalty notices were handed out in just 128 days in 2007 to drivers who had supposedly failed to give way correctly at the Salter's Hill junction in Upper Norwood.
The Parking and Traffic Appeals Service (PaTas) adjudicator ruled the junction was flawed as traffic comes up Salter’s Hill in such a way that downhill traffic cannot give way in time as required.
A number of succesful appeals were made against Lambeth's Parking Service as a result, and Lambeth is not known to have had traffic cameras at the site since.
But residents spotted a CCTV car there over the weekend.
Gipsy Hill Ward Councillor Andrew Gibson said it was "a worry" the council could still potentially fine motorists passing through the junction when, despite alterations being made to improve safety at the junction, the difficulty of traffic giving way still existed.
He said: "Considering the vast number of appeals and problems the junction caused the parking service, I wonder why the council has sent cameras back there?"
A council spokesman said: “It’s important to stress that the Salter’s Hill scheme is a road safety scheme that was introduced at the request of local people to slow down traffic on a busy and previously dangerous stretch of road near a school, and in that it has been very successful.
“While we did not accept that there were any shortcomings with the junction’s design that would have caused a large number of motorists to be ticketed unfairly, we have been making some improvements to the layout and signage. “Now that these are complete we are resuming light enforcement and will continue to do so, so long as there is a risk to the safety of pedestrians and other road users.”
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