Conservative Councillors are urging the Labour Council to change its 'unfair' policy following the revelation that 13,000 drivers have been handed with fines the Council wasn't entitled to issue. Of those, only 400 drivers have received their money back in Coventry.
The illegal fines arose after drivers were caught driving through bus gates – designated sections of road for buses and taxis only at Park Road, Greyfriars Green and Gosford Street – between between December 10, 2015 and April 21, 2016 and fined nearly £400,000 collectively by Coventry City Council.
Now a Conservative Councillor, Tim Mayer (Con, Westwood) has spoken out after it became apparent that the Council is unwilling to be more proactive in giving people back their money. Cllr Mayer has revealed that he is 'appalled' at the situation and the Council's reluctance to 'do the right thing by hardworking taxpayers'. The fines were issued because the Council failed to comply with legal signage.
Commenting on the situation, Tim, who was elected in May 2016, said: "Coventry Conservatives are pleased that the Council agreed to refund each affected driver their £30 or £60 fee if it was not paid within 14 days, but I have urged the Council to change its policy. At the moment, they are being reactive rather than proactive and that is very unfair on those motorists who may not realise that they paid a fine they should never have received. I want our Council to follow the example of Councils such as York and Bath to ensure that it writes to all effected drivers explaining the situation and advising them of their right to apply for a refund. They the Council has so far returned only roughly £11,700 of the £398,460 owed to motorists is deeply unfair.