More refunds to come as Oxford Council lose High Court case

Another council another blunder. Oxford's accounts will be published shortly and any resident can raise an objection that their accounts cannot contain unlawfully derived income.

Click here for a pro-forma letter.

The same applies to any other council which has been enforcing unlawful restrictions. The 'peasants' revolt' will ensure that justice is done and local authorities reckless attitude towards their legal responsibilities is stopped.

BUSGATE FINES:
High Court rejects review
Oxford Mail
Monday 20th July 2009

A HIGH Court judge has rejected Oxfordshire County Council’s bid for a judicial review on whether drivers have been unlawfully fined for going through the High Street bus gate.
But the council has re-applied for an oral hearing, and a decision will be made in the next six weeks on whether one will go ahead.

Two years ago, the council installed enforcement cameras in High Street to keep most vehicles out during the day.

But earlier this year, it emerged appeals by motorists led to a Traffic Penalty Tribunal ruling that the council had not been using the right law to fine them.

The tribunal said the council put in a valid prohibition for vehicles, but then wrongly penalised them for entering a bus lane because the area is not actually a bus lane.
Adjudicators upheld a number of appeals, but the council contested the ruling and last month applied to the High Court for the judicial review.

A spokesman for the Royal Courts of Justice said: “Permission for a judicial review was refused on June 26.”
Council spokesman Paul Smith said: “The council intends to pursue this — this is not the end of the matter.”

Neil Herron, of Parking Appeals, which advises drivers on fines legislation, said last night: “It’s not all over yet for the county council, but if it loses the oral hearing then it should abide by the Traffic Penalty Tribunal’s ruling and should refund the drivers who have been fined.”

The council collected £635,435 in fines in the first year of camera enforcemen between March 2007 and March last year.

Clampers ... AA's Edmund King's letter to the Times pulls no punches

Sir,

It is hardly “curious” that the AA has declined to join the British Parking Association board when we still have serious issues with its toothless code and some of its members (letter, May 4). We do not want to give credibility to a system we think will not work and do not want to sit alongside a clamping company that has caused anguish and unfair financial loss to some of our members.

The AA did not need to await an internal investigation into complaints about a BPA member when it was absolutely clear that the company had acted unfairly. Indeed, our pressure has already led to a refund in one case before the BPA has taken any action.

We are pleased that the Government is taking more action to regulate rogue clampers but it is clear that without an independent appeals system the same vested interest will dominate. If we cannot produce a fair system, then clamping on private land should be outlawed as “extortion and theft” as it was in Scotland in 1992.

Edmund King

President, Automobile Association
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article6215960.ece

BBC Report here

New Banksy ... New CCTV era. Big Brother Britain

Respect again to Banksy for this one.

As we expose the abuses of CCTV being used to surveil Britain's motorists Banksy, under the nose of the CCTV camera, makes his powerful point.

As more and more 'civil' fines are being handed out to motorists...
- civil fines for parking
- civil fines for bus lane contraventions
- civil fines for entering yellow box junctions and so on, we are at tipping point ... and perhaps on the verge of 'civil war.'

Graffiti artist Banksy pulls off most audacious stunt to date - despite being watched by CCTV
14th April 2008
Daily Mail

Banksy pulled off an audacious stunt to produce what is believed to be his biggest work yet in central London.
The secretive graffiti artist managed to erect three storeys of scaffolding behind a security fence despite being watched by a CCTV camera.
Then, during darkness and hidden behind a sheet of polythene, he painted this comment on 'Big Brother' society. More ...