Record-breaking Camera Trap Catches 850 Drivers In Just One Day

A RECORD number of fines have been issued to motorists heading to one of London's trendiest shopping streets, according to new data. In just one day, over 850 drivers were slapped with penalty charge notices (PCNs) from a single camera located near Chelsea's King's Road. This is believed to be the highest number of fines issued by a single CCTV camera in the UK within a 24-hour period.

On Sunday, May 12, last year, the Imperial Road camera facing northwest recorded 851 motorists. The second-highest number of fines came from the south-east camera on the same road, which caught 733 drivers on Friday, June 14.

These cameras were installed by the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham as part of a controversial low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) scheme aimed at restricting drivers from outside the borough. The cameras, located in the "South Fulham East clean air neighbourhood," issued a total of 212,615 fines in 2024. At the full £130 rate, this could have generated more than £27 million. On average, each camera issued 290 fines a day last year.

Statistics obtained by The Telegraph through Freedom of Information laws revealed that hot summer weather and peak shopping times contributed to the high fines. There are now 23 cameras monitoring two South Fulham LTNs, which cover popular routes to King's Road and Chelsea Football Club.

A council spokesperson stated, "The number of fines issued for driving through our Clean Air Neighbourhood dropped significantly again last year as more drivers changed their behaviour to comply with the cameras. This shows the ongoing success of a project that has seen 15,000 fewer cars a day from outside the borough using our residential streets as commuter shortcuts."

Broadgate Legal