A parking boss spearheading a London congestion plan faces scrutiny after past ticket quashing accusations surfaced amid resident backlash over fees.
Adams previously worked at two other councils: Tower Hamlets and Hackney. He faced scrutiny at both locations. Lewisham now charges high fees for polluting cars.
Some diesel car owners pay over £300 yearly. The goal is to get people walking or cycling. Van owners might pay £750 to reduce traffic, MailOnline heard from locals.
Back in 1998, Adams quashed some tickets when he managed parking at Tower Hamlets. The Daily Telegraph reported this news. A council spokesman spoke about it then.
He said the tickets were technically invalid. He called it an error of judgment instead of fraud. The spokesman felt Adams should have asked a superior.
In 2010, more issues for Adams arose. His Mercedes got towed in Hackney, and he also received a £300 parking fine. People thought he received special treatment.
His car had a valid parking permit, but it was not visible. So, they issued a ticket and towed the car. Though he paid the fine, he avoided the usual towing fee.
Hackney Council said he missed the payment deadline. This meant he should have paid a £120 fine instead. Lewisham Council spoke about Adams’ hiring.
They said he is experienced and joined in 2020. The old incidents were over 15 years ago, and involved invalid tickets and permit issues. Lewisham added Adams admitted to an error back then.
This concerned the transparency of handling the matters. Residents are upset about “sustainable streets.” The plan could cost up to £750 to park at home.
John Ohalloran uses a diesel van for his work. He feels he is facing unfair charges. “This is a war on motorists,” he said. “It feels like a cash grab.”
Peter Ryan fears he cannot afford to live there. He worries about the parking fees. Lewisham stated the plan encourages walking and cycling.
They want to discourage short car trips. They aim to help residents needing parking near home. The council said they consulted with residents. Residents shared parking issues and ideas.
Their feedback changed some of the initial proposals.