Fines from the controversial Surbiton Crescent traffic restrictions are “in the mix” of Kingston Council’s forthcoming emergency budget. New Malden campaigner James Giles told the Finance and Contracts Committee on June 28 that the Liberal Democrats asked for first-time-offence fines to be repaid to motorists while in opposition, and asked whether that was “still the plan” now they are in administration. Leader of the council Liz Green responded: “I am on record as saying about Surbiton Crescent that I felt the signs were completely unclear, and I’ve asked many a question over probably an 18-month period over them.” The restrictions, part of the £30million “mini-Holland” scheme Go Cycle, racked up an estimated £4.5million of fines in their first year, which began in November 2016. Cllr Green said: “The first time we raised that fines should not be implemented was about two weeks after they started fining – we saw the numbers coming through – and I think at that time, you could have just written off the fines relatively easily, but the administration chose not to. “We did then suggest they should repay the first-time fines. “We are looking at the budget, and we will have some recommendations coming to the next full council meeting, and the Surbiton Crescent fines are in that mix, so at the moment I don’t know is the answer.” The emergency budget was one of the central promises in the Lib Dem manifesto for the May local elections, and it is expected at the full council meeting on July 17. Cllr Green said: “We are a long way down the line, and the money that came in has been spent, because those fines stopped coming in around this time last year, I think. “I’d have to look at the absolute detail but the majority of the fines were in the 16/17 budget, so basically we’re looking at it along with everything else that’s in the budget for this year to see what we can or can’t do.” Surbiton Crescent is a “key part” of the Kingston to Surbiton Go Cycle route, and the council imposed restrictions to make the road safer for cyclists. The restrictions were initially approved as a six-month trial beginning in November 2016, then on a permanent basis from June 2017. That decision was called in, and the restrictions were discussed by councillors again in July 2017, but they upheld the original decision. At that meeting, a Liberal Democrat amendment to refund first-time fines and set up a task and finish group to examine the issue was voted down.