A bereaved son says he feels like an ‘absolute loser’ after being forced to pay £3,000 to Birmingham City Council for a Clean Air Zone fine incurred by his late father.
Gary Davies, from Tamworth, Staffordshire, is now seeking to take legal action after he was unable to convince the local authorities that his father had died.
Whilst he was alive, the 52-year-old’s father had received a fine for driving two of his vehicles in the city centre where daily charges are issued to the drivers of older vehicles.
He was unable to pay these due to his death, but this did not stop his penalty fee from ballooning into the thousands, before enforcement agents clamped the two vehicles after finding them outside his son’s property.
Mr Davies handed over the cash to secure their release, but he has yet to be given it back despite supplying the authorities with a copy of his father’s death certificate.
He described the appeal process as being like ‘talking to a brick wall’ and said the ordeal had made grieving more difficult.
Speaking to the BBC, he said: ‘I was on the phone for two-and-a-half hours one day trying to speak to somebody.
‘It makes you feel like you’re an absolute loser because nobody will listen to you.’
The Clean Air Zone (CAZ) scheme was launched in 2021 as part of plans to tackle poor air quality in the city (pictured: Signs for Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone at Belgrave Interchange)
Whilst he was alive, Gary Davies’ father had received a fine for driving two of his vehicles in the city centre where daily fees were handed out to older vehicles (file image)
The roofer joins a long list of seemingly innocent residents who have fallen foul of the Birmingham CAZ scheme.
The project was launched in 2021 as part of plans to tackle poor air quality in the city, with a focus on reducing the levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) produced by older vehicles.
A local authority report in January found it had made a ‘significant contribution’ to reducing air pollution, but it has been repeatedly criticised for it’s chaotic fine process.
It was revealed last March that the city council had overturned a huge 48,256 penalty charge notices after motorists refused to pay, and had given up on chasing around another 20,000.
In January this year, a 74-year-old man who does not have a car or even a driving licence said he had received more than £23,000 in vehicle fines from the council over the last two years.
The council has also been accused of being ‘unwilling to listen’ by several motorists , who said it was difficult to get in touch with the local authority to dispute charges.
Cynthia Nodanche, 41, was left confused after enforcement officers demanded she paid £1,000 after she drove her non-compliant Vauxhall Antara through the Clean Air Zone but forgot to pay.
Her fine had ballooned after her warning letters had been sent to the wrong address.
Cynthia Nodanche, 41, was left confused after enforcement officers demanded she paid £1,000 after she drove her non-compliant Vauxhall Antara through the Clean Air Zone but forgot to pay
Money spent hiring clean air zone compliant and non-compliant vehicles by Birmingham City Council
When she became aware of the penalty, she was shocked by the ‘short timeframe to pay the fine’.
‘They should give people notice of one or two weeks more,’ she said.
The executive assistant urged the council to be more flexible, as their current system could discourage people from moving to the city.
The council defended its administration of the scheme and said opportunities for challenge were very clearly set out.
Councillor Majid Mahmood, cabinet member for environment and transport, said: ‘A penalty charge notice is sent to the address of a registered keeper of a vehicle based on the information held by the DVLA at the point it is issued.
‘The opportunities for challenge are very clearly set out at each stage of the process so that anyone issued with a penalty charge notice understands how they can pay or challenge it.’
