Hello everyone,
I’ve recently been caught by the Imperial Road LTN, and after going through the evidence from Hammersmith & Fulham, I’ve noticed several issues that I think others here may have experienced too.
1. The sign on my side of the road was unlit
My contravention happened late in the evening. In the council’s own footage, the sign that applies to my direction of travel is completely unlit. That alone raises questions about compliance with the Traffic Signs Regulations, which require signs to be visible and legible during hours of darkness.
2. The sign layout is backwards
According to the Traffic Signs Manual, the primary restriction must be the first thing a driver sees.
But on Imperial Road, the council has placed the Controlled Parking Zone sign above the No Motor Vehicles restriction, meaning the first thing your eyes go to is the least relevant part. That creates a moment of hesitation — and that hesitation is exactly where people get caught.
If you look at Google Street View from 2020, the sign was clearer and better laid out. Oddly, other parts of LBHF use the correct layout. Imperial Road seems to have its own improvised design.
3. The council’s own evidence undermines their case
I’ve now received the evidence bundle for my adjudication in October 2026.
Their video clearly shows:
• The sign on my side is unlit
• The layout is confusing
• They rely on Google snapshots rather than proper surveys
If this is the standard they’re presenting to an adjudicator, it speaks volumes.
4. This LTN isn’t about clean air — it’s about revenue
Imperial Road has no residential frontage. Meanwhile, Emden Street and the surrounding roads are absorbing the displaced traffic, fumes, and congestion. Who exactly benefits from this “clean air”? Certainly not the residents of the neighbouring streets.
LBHF even states in their rejection letter that they “do not want external drivers” using their borough.
Yet we’re constantly told London is “one city” and we all pay for the roads through VED, VAT on fuel, and general taxation. You can’t claim London is unified while individual boroughs carve out private fiefdoms.
5. If we don’t push back, they’ll keep doing it
It has taken nearly 10 months for my case to reach adjudication.
If more people appeal rather than pay, the cost to the council rises sharply — printing, reviewing, preparing evidence, officer time. They rely on people giving up.
I won’t. And I encourage others not to either.
In the coming months I’ll also be writing to the Daily Telegraph, News Shopper, and any local papers willing to highlight the inconsistency, poor signage, and the displacement of pollution onto other streets.
6. Let’s share experiences
If anyone else has been caught here — or anywhere else — I’d be interested to hear:
• Was your sign lit?
• Was the layout confusing?
• Did the council rely on Google images?
• Did you notice displaced traffic on surrounding roads?
Councils increasingly treat motorists as a revenue stream, and unless we challenge inadequate signage and poor scheme design, nothing will change.
Best wishes,
Miffed of Penge
