MORE than half a million pounds will be returned to drivers penalised at box junctions across the borough before they were declared unlawful.

Ealing Council has estimated it will have to refund £660,000 to drivers charged between late June and late October, when the council formally announced it was scrapping the junctions.

Last week Ealing apologised after it emerged the Department for Transport said on June 20 that it would not authorise six junctions across the borough.

The council will be writing to all people affected, explaining what has happened and also telling them that they will be receiving a cheque in the post.