I have been sent 19 penalty charge notices (PCNs) by Newham council for driving into a restricted healthy school streets zone despite the fact I hold a blue badge access permit to drop and collect my children at school.
The problems began when I had a car accident. My insurer issued me with three successive courtesy cars while mine was out of action. I therefore bought courtesy permits for each vehicle so I could continue driving into the zone. I have a disability and I am dependent on my car.
I’ve been receiving PCNs every week and more arrive even while I’m appealing against them.
I face a total bill of £3,000 and it’s causing me immense stress, but the council’s approach has felt inflexible and unsympathetic.
IL, London
Healthy school streets are a laudable initiative, adopted by several London boroughs, that restricts access to certain zones at the start and finish of the school day. It’s crucial, however, that those with disabilities can still reach the school gate and blue badge holders are eligible for access permits.
You duly applied for temporary permits for each of the courtesy cars you were given after your accident, but due to the short notice with which the cars were changed by your insurer it seems there was a time lapse between one of the renewals.
Since you were driving into the zone twice a day, five days a week, this triggered an avalanche of PCNs.
I think Newham council should have cancelled them when you wrote in saying you are on record as a blue badge holder. Instead, it rejected your appeals.
Its conscience only pricked when I questioned its intransigence. “In light of the circumstances, and to bring this matter to a fair conclusion, the council has taken the decision to cancel all of the PCNs issued in this case,” a spokesperson said. “Steps are also being taken to strengthen our processes around courtesy permits to reduce the risk of similar issues occurring in future.”
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