Brent School Street fines reach £1.15m in 21 months

Brent Council has issued penalty charge notices worth £1.15 million in 21 months under a School Street scheme outside Manor School in Kensal Rise, prompting a local councillor to question whether the signs are clear enough for drivers.

The scheme began in November 2024 and restricts vehicle access during school drop-off and pick-up times. CCTV cameras and mobile enforcement teams monitor the road. Drivers caught entering face a £160 penalty, reduced to £80 if paid within 14 days.

Councillor Barbara Want said the signs were “too high and not properly visible”. She argued that the number of penalties should have prompted the council to review the scheme, and said it was failing to protect children if drivers were still using the road. She also questioned whether it was generating revenue rather than improving safety and air quality.

The council said the signs complied with Department for Transport guidelines, but that it would install additional lower-level signs and gateway features to make the restrictions clearer. Cabinet member Promise Knight said School Streets were intended to make journeys safer for children and families by reducing congestion and improving air quality, and that the council would continue to review the scheme.

The BBC reported that the council collected an average of £54,799 a month over the scheme’s 21 months, which operates during school terms. The report also cited an earlier figure of 70,000 penalty notices in 12 months, equivalent to 384 per school day. In July 2025, the two cameras outside the school generated more than £107,000 in penalties in a single month, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.