Cameras set to snare city bus lane motorists

Aug 21 2007 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post

MOTORISTS who use bus lanes are set to face fines under a system that could net hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Council officials are drafting a report that recommends putting cameras at three city centre locations as a pilot scheme, before more are introduced across Liverpool.

The level of fines has not yet been decided, but they can legally be set at the same rate as those for parking offences – up to £60, reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days. Last night, the council said cameras were needed because cars were frequently using bus lanes, causing delays to public transport and cancelling out any benefits of designated no-car routes.

The worst stretch, at a location which has not been disclosed, is abused by more than 100 drivers an hour at certain times of the day.

Motoring organisations last night claimed the scheme would be an infringement of drivers’ civil liberties.

But the city’s Lib-Dems leader, Cllr Warren Bradley, said the cameras could help traffic flow in Liverpool. Labour group leader, Cllr Joe Anderson, said fines would be seen as another tax and called for a review of bus lanes as he said they often “cause more problems than they solve”.

But the city’s largest bus operator, Arriva, said the plan was a positive step towards improving the city’s infrastructure and promoting environmentally friendly travel.

A decision on the scheme will be announced at the end of next month.

If approved by the city’s executive board, it could be introduced before the end of the year.

Cllr Bradley said cameras may be a necessary evil to ease traffic through the city.

“Bus lanes are there for a reason, to ease public transport access and egress to and from the city and encourage greener bus travel.

“If cameras can help the council to enforce the lanes, then they may be a good thing.”

Last night, council officials said no decision had been made on sites.

But three hot-spots up for consideration are likely to be Lime Street, St John’s Lane, and Chapel Street, where bus lanes are already in operation.

Councils were given the power to enforce bus lane offences under the Traffic Management Act 2004, the same act that handed them responsibility for parking enforcement.

Police can still give fixed penalty notices for motorists caught in bus lanes, which normally operate during morning and evening rush hours on week days, but unlike cameras officers cannot be constantly on guard.

Last night, Cllr Anderson said: “I don’t think this is a good idea. There’s a huge number of bus lanes in the city that don’t work.

“In many places they cause more problems than they solve. People will see this as another tax, like parking. What we have to remember is that bus lanes should be there to improve public transport. The aim is not to punish drivers, and this seems a ridiculous way to achieve that aim.”

He said the council should sit down with Merseyside police and Merseytravel to review the city’s bus lanes and scrap the ones that do not work well.

Paul Biggs, of the Association of British Drivers, who is against bus lanes and cameras because he believes they infringe drivers’ rights said: “Bus lanes cause problems themselves.

“All the cars have to pile into another lane, it causes traffic, and when you turn left you have to zip into a bus lane.”

A spokesman for the city council said: “The whole purpose of bus lanes is to give priority to public transport where appropriate.

“However, they are frequently misused and we are looking to carry out proper enforcement using new technology.”

“These are only proposals. If they are agreed, there will be a lot of publicity and consultation.”

Phil Stone, managing director for Arriva North West and Wales, said: “Bus priority lanes form a vital part of any city centre transport plan and we welcome any proposal that seeks to enforce them.

“By doing this, it would ease congestion on our routes at busy times of the day, thus making bus travel an even more attractive alternative to the car.”

OPINION: PAGE 10

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