A dad who fought to have £650 worth of fines revoked after being "caught" driving to and from his own home has been celebrating after the tickets were cancelled.
Abdul Noormohamed, 39, said “justice” had been done after Harrow Council's U-turn on several fines he was given for driving in a restricted zone.
The council has installed cameras on several Harrow roads after they were designated as "school streets zones".
The new zones have been created to deter people from driving down certain roads during the morning and afternoon school run, MyLondon reports.
Mr Noormohamed - who lives in the zone near Marlborough School - was shocked to discover he had been fined five times for using his own road during these hours.
He contacted the council, as well as several local politicians, but received little response. The issue was then highlighted by The Local Democracy Reporting Service, and Abdul said he is “certain” this publicity had contributed to the fines being cancelled.
He said: “It feels like a huge weight off my shoulders. [The council] still hasn’t accepted any fault, they still made me register even though I’d already done so, but at least they cancelled them.”
Despite this success, Abdul said his neighbours are facing similar issues and he called for any fines handed out to those in similar positions to be repaid immediately.
He added: “Since this has all come out, people have been coming up telling me they’ve had the same problem. They can’t get through to anyone – it’s as if one department at the council doesn’t know what the others are doing.”
He said he “felt like a celebrity” when he went to pick his three daughters up from Marlborough, with several parents and teachers pointing out that they too had been stung by the cameras. While he was pleased to see his fines written off, Abdul said there are still a number of outstanding problems with the school streets scheme.
There are concerns around the signs warning drivers that they cannot use the street by the school at certain times – approaching from the busy Harrow View, they would be unaware until the last minute and could be forced to brake in the middle of the road.
And those living in the zone still struggle to have visitors round or get deliveries to their door with people fearful of being fined.
Abdul said: “My house is usually very active, my door is always open. I’d have people coming and going all day every day, but I can’t anymore.”
He added there is the issue of the restrictions forcing cars onto other nearby roads, which simply shunts pollution onto others.
Several school streets schemes were approved in Harrow following consultation with residents and schools. The Marlborough School scheme, which covers part of Marlborough Hill, Leys Close, Rugby Close, Ranmoor Gardens and Badminton Close, is scheduled to be reassessed after it received mixed feedback.
Harrow Council has been approached for comment.
