A council accused of running "unlawful" low-traffic neighbourhood (LTN) schemes has been revealed to have collected more than £13 million in fines from motorists, yet refunded just £520,000 over a six-month period. The disclosure raises fresh questions about the fairness and legality of LTN enforcement, with critics arguing that drivers penalised under schemes later found to be improperly implemented are being left significantly out of pocket while the council retains the bulk of the money it collected.

The figures show a stark gap between the scale of fines levied and the pace of repayments, suggesting many motorists wrongly fined have yet to see their money returned despite the schemes' unlawful status being established. The case has fuelled wider criticism of LTN schemes across Britain, with campaigners and affected drivers calling for faster, fuller refunds and greater accountability from local authorities over how such traffic restriction income is handled.