CCTV to guard Bristol Bus Lanes
The council is asking for views and comments on its new powers to penalise moving offences in the city’s bus lanes using Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) equipment.
Bristol’s buses carry 100,000 people to work every day and the council is keen to see more commuters take up this congestion-busting option, by improving confidence in the frequency and reliability of buses.
The council is promising that life could soon get much harder for cheats who drive in bus lanes and they are asking for views and comments on the new powers to penalise moving offences in the city’s bus lanes using Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) equipment.
Currently only the police have powers to penalise moving traffic offences in bus lanes. The council’s enhanced powers means that the focus can be given to this serious problem. Bus priority measures, such as bus lanes, help buses achieve consistent journey times through congested areas. But if prohibited vehicles park or travel in the bus lanes, it affects the punctuality and reliability of services.
If you would like to comment on this proposal, please e-mail the council at traffic.management@bristol.gov.uk by 21March 2009. Your views will be taken into account when preparing a report for consideration by the council’s Cabinet. If the council Cabinet approves the measures, enforcement on bus lanes using CCTV equipment could begin as early as May, following a publicity campaign to alert drivers to the changes.
- For further information call: 0117 903 6822
- e-mail: traffic.management@bristol.gov.uk
- Or write to: Traffic Management, Wilder House, Wilder Street, Bristol. BS2 8PH
