It's annoying because these restrictions are for stopping large vehicles going down back streets but they are enforced against any vehicle owing to the keep left signs.
That one in Riversdale Road has been there for years.
This is the most recent appeal at London Tribunals from the same direction I think.
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Case reference 226008648A
Appellant xxxxx
Authority London Borough of Islington
VRM LX59ZTD
PCN Details
PCN IZ37992875
Contravention date 02 Dec 2025
Contravention time 14:15:00
Contravention location Riversdale Road
Penalty amount GBP 160.00
Contravention Failing to comply with a keep left/right sign
Referral date -
Decision Date 16 Jun 2026
Adjudicator Henry Michael Greenslade
Appeal decision Appeal refused
Direction Full penalty charge notice amount stated to be paid within 28 days.
Reasons
A contravention can occur if a vehicle is driven fail to keep left of a direction shown by a white arrow on a blue sign.
There appears to be no dispute that the vehicle was at this location, as shown in the closed circuit television (cctv) images produced by the Enforcement Authority.
The vehicle is seen to pass to the right of the bollard when the sign clearly indicates that all vehicular traffic should keep left.
The Appellant’s case is that he made a mistake but no one else was involved.
However, what I have to determine is whether the Appellant’s vehicle contravened the ‘keep left’ sign, which it clearly did, and, if so, whether it fell within any exemption.
The sign is that prescribed by Diagram 610 at Item 3 in part 2 of Schedule 3 to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 and under Paragraph 3(4) in Part 4 of Schedule 3, the only exemptions are for vehicles being used for the following purposes:
(a) fire and rescue authority;
(b) Scottish Fire and Rescue Service;
(c) ambulance;
(d) blood service;
(e) providing a response to an emergency at the request of an NHS ambulance service;
(f) bomb or explosive disposal;
(g) special forces
(h) police; and
(i) National Crime Agency.
I accept that this may have been a genuine mistake but, unfortunately, that does not of itself amount to a valid ground of appeal as it does remain the responsibility of the motorist to check carefully at all times whilst driving their vehicle, so as to ensure that they do so only as permitted. This includes making sure that they comply with all restrictions and prohibitions indicated by the signs.
The penalty charge is £160. The amount of the penalty charge is set by the Transport, Environment and Planning Committee of London Councils and approved by the Mayor of London with the authority of the Secretary of State. Under Section 4(
(a)(iv) and 4(10) of the London Local Authorities and Transport for London Act 2003 the enforcement authority must accept the reduced penalty of £80 if paid within 14 days of the date of the Penalty Charge Notice. This is different from some other types of Penalty Charge Notice, where the relevant date is service. Once this period has expired and, for whatever reason including appealing to the Adjudicator and/or making representations to the authority, the charge remains unpaid then the full penalty becomes due.
Section 4(18) of the 2003 Act provides that in determining, for the purposes of any provision of the Act, whether a penalty charge has been paid before the end of a particular period, it shall be taken to be paid when it is received by the authority concerned.
The Enforcement Authority did, in exercise of their discretion, reoffer the reduced penalty period in their Notice of Rejection and whilst I note all that the Appellant says regarding the circumstances, the Adjudicator is only able to decide an appeal by making findings of fact on the basis of the evidence actually produced by the parties and applying relevant law. The Court of Appeal has affirmed that the Adjudicator has no power to consider mitigating circumstances of any description, including reducing the amount of the full penalty charge.
Applications for time to pay the Penalty Charge Notice must be addressed to the Enforcement Authority direct.
Considering carefully all the evidence before me I must find as a fact that, on this particular occasion, a contravention did occur and the Penalty Charge Notice was properly issued.
Accordingly, this appeal must be refused.
