A trial ban fining motorists for turning into and out of Longfield Avenue in Ealing has been extended by six months.

Ealing Council launched a six-month trial from April 18 last year banning right turns into Longfield Avenue from Uxbridge Road, and left into Uxbridge Road from Longfield Avenue.

The council then began fining motorists on July 4, and getwestlondon found it made almost £230,000 in little over three months .

Now the council says it has extended the trial until May this year, more than six months after it said a review would look into the ban.

According to the council, it is extending the ban to "collect more data on the extent of the impact of the changes, particularly around road safety".

But Conservative Cllr Alex Stafford, who represents the Ealing Broadway ward, described the extension as a "cash cow".

He said: "I think a six month trial has been long enough.

"They have made a quarter of a million pound in three months so this is clearly an excuse to raise more money.

Ealing Council has extended a ban on turning into Longfield Avenue from Uxbridge Road and vice versa

"Six months is more than enough time to look at safety factors.

"I am getting constant emails and phone calls from people who have been fined, unfairly they feel, and this is another cash cow for the council.

"If it is the council's goal to raise a lot of money then it has been a success but for safety I have not had any evidence that it has been improved.

"I think it is at least more dangerous. I have heard of people reversing all the way down the road (to avoid a fine)".

The sign warns of turning left into Uxbridge Road.

However, the council said income from penalty notices is ring-fenced and used to pay for concessionary travel schemes.

It also claims there are currently 21 permanent advance warning signs in place, "more than the three required by law", in addition to three temporary signs "retained to further help road users understand the scheme".

A spokesman for the council, who said details of the review will be available in May, added: "The council did everything possible to help people to avoid getting tickets including issuing warning letters instead of fines for the first 10 weeks of the scheme.

"Once the trial is completed in May, the full information will be available and a final decision will be made."

A total of £229,684 was generated in little over three months from the ban

Motorists will continue to be fined £130 for breaching the ban, reduced to £65 if paid within 14 days.

In July last year the council said motorists would be fined £110, reduced to £55 if paid within a fortnight, but it has since said this was a mistake and that motorists have been fined £130 since its introduction.

Will French, who has lived on the nearby Gordon Road for more than 20 years, said: "I know a lot of people have raised concerns about it.

"Many people around here can't understand the justification to this and we think there are other ways, if they want to reduce cars, and we would like to be consulted.

"I think we should know by now what the situation is, I wish there was a full explanation."

The council previously said the ban was an attempt to ease congestion and boost safety, following a "number of accidents" at the junction .

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