Film star Tom fights parking fine 'abuse'

nlnews@archant.co.uk
23 November 2005

Actor Tom COnti has teamed up with Kentish Town businessman Nick Mavrides to form the London Motorists Action Group

ACTOR Tom Conti has teamed up with a Kentish Town businessman to campaign against parking fines and the congestion charge.

The film star, who is best known for romantic comedy Shirley Valentine, and lives in Highgate, has formed the London Motorists Action Group (LMAG) with Nick Mavrides, owner of the Ace Sports and Leisure shop in Kentish Town Road.

They say they are fed up with Camden Council and other authorities "abusing" businesses by ticketing customers, raking in millions of pounds in parking fines, sending bailiffs around to "harass" motorists and setting up controlled parking zones (CPZs) around high streets.

The pair, who launched LMAG last week with Conservative peer Lord Lucas and four other members, point to Camden Council as an example of an authority "tax farming" motorists with over-zealous parking laws.

Between July 2004 and July 2005, Camden installed 118 fixed and mobile CCTV cameras they say, and issued 80,000 tickets - amounting to fines of more than £4 million.

More than 72,000 bailiff's warrants were issued to motorists last year who failed to pay up and LMAG claims businesses in Kentish Town have seen a 20 per cent drop in turnover since the introduction of a CPZ there.

Mr Mavrides, who has run shops in Kentish Town since 1989, said: "We aim to act in the interests of motorists.

"Some councillors seem to have forgotten that councils were set up to help residents, not to harass them.

"We will campaign for change in council policy - so that enforcement practices regain general public consent - and against the congestion charge and spy cameras."

A Camden Council spokesman said: "The council is always willing

to listen to the concerns of local business. We will always carry out thorough consultation with the local community - including local businesses and residents - before we change parking restrictions."

tom.mackenzie@archant.co.uk