A man fined five times for unknowingly driving through a 'school street' discovered that almost 1,000 fines were issued there in one month.

Retired doctor Raj George fell foul of the restrictions around Sudbury Primary School on his way to church - blaming poor signs and a lack of information.

He submitted a Freedom of Information request, which revealed that Brent Council issued 921 Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) to motorists at the junction between Perrin Road and Watford Way in May.

Perrin Road is subject to timed restrictions from 8am to 9am and 1.30pm to 3.30pm on weekdays. A fine is typically £130, reduced by half to £65 if paid promptly.

Dr George, who lives in North Wembley, said he had driven the same route to attend morning mass at St George’s Catholic Church for the last five years.

He claimed that the restrictions are poorly marked, and that the signpost informing drivers is hard to read.

Dr George added that Brent Council should have done more to inform residents about the restrictions before they were implemented.

He said: “You’re not expecting it – I have been going on the same road almost every day and I have not had any PCNs at all [before last month].

“This notice is not visible at all. There is a small red sign which is not visible unless you stop the car and have a look.

“I just want to make it an issue that when you don’t put up [enough] signs, nobody can see and then you get charged for it, that’s what my anger is.”

Brent Council said the school street was originally implemented through barriers and cones in 2020, before being enforced by cameras in 2022.

When asked about Dr George’s case earlier this month, a council spokesperson said: “This school street was originally installed in 2020 and managed by school staff using barriers and cones.

“Due to its popularity with local parents, teachers and pupils, in 2022 we started enforcement by installing CCTV at each of our 30 sites.

“We gave a two-week grace period where drivers would be notified but not fined. These PCNs were issued after the notice period.

“We have done a lot of work letting local residents know about the changes, through letter drops and engagement.

“We encourage all residents to be mindful of all signage on the road which displays whether or not the road has restrictions.”