New data has shown Islington Council is paying fines incurred when its own staff break low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) restrictions.

A request submitted by the borough’s Green Party has revealed the council - which is behind the LTNs - footed the bill for around one quarter of the penalty charge notices given to its vehicles.

LTNs, also known as people friendly streets, are controversial schemes that see residential roads closed to through traffic as an environmental initiative.

The first LTNs went live in Islington on August 17, 2020 as part of 18-month trials.

Since then, at the time of the data release, 212 penalty charge notices have been issued to council vehicles. Of these, 103 have been contested and 45 were cancelled. Fifty-eight were paid by council departments.

Islington Green Party's Caroline Russell said: “The council should be leading the way and setting an example to Islington business and using a climate friendly way of getting around by using e-assist bikes and making sure they are sticking to rules as residents are expected to.

“The whole purpose [of LTNs] is to ensure we reach the 2030 decarbonisation targets.”

While proponents have hailed the potential for LTNs to get residents cycling and producing better neighbourhood air quality, they have been criticised for causing congestion in different parts of Islington.

A council representative said: “Essential services like street cleaning, refuse collection and community transport are vitally important to the local community, which is why a small number of council vehicles are also exempt from the traffic filters.

“Any non-exempt vehicles that pass through a people-friendly streets neighbourhood filter will receive a penalty charge notice, irrespective of who is driving it or who the vehicle belongs to.

“The appeals process is the same for council staff and departments as it is for members of the public.

“Any council vehicles that don’t have an exemption will receive a penalty charge notice when they pass through a traffic filter in a people-friendly streets neighbourhood.

“There is a statutory appeals process, which is applied irrespective of who is driving the vehicle or who it belongs to.

“When appealing penalty charge notices, council departments and drivers therefore go through the same appeals process that members of the public use.

“Appeals are considered on a case-by-case basis.”

The council declined to comment on why vehicles are breaching LTNs in the first place.