Plans have been welcomed for new cameras to help stop motorists wrongly driving in a bus lane on a busy Nottinghamshire road. An automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera will be put on Mansfield Road southbound in Woodthorpe, one of six bus lanes set to benefit from the technology.
Nottinghamshire County Council plans to increase its traffic enforcement across the county because of “significant contraventions” of road laws. The council says this includes problems at bus lanes where surveys found more than one in five vehicles using the routes were not buses.
Motorists found contravening the bus lane regulations could face a fine of up to £70. The plans were warmly received by those living in Mansfield Road, Woodthorpe.
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Brenda Oliver said she sees motorists using the bus lane on a regular basis. "It's a good plan," said the 74-year-old, who has lived in the area for 30 years.
"You see it more or less every day. Because they're rushing to get somewhere, but it doesn't get them any further. They wouldn't think it would be worth a fine. You also get a lot of people doing U-turns here and not stopping at the zebra crossing."
Dean Uddin, a 40-year-old sales manager who lives nearby, said: "If people are using it when they shouldn't be it's a good thing. Sometimes it's situational, people might not realise.
"I've had a fine for being in a bus lane, it got to a point where I had to go into it. If it's well signed and there's plenty of notice. If you still drive in it after that it's on you. I don't see many people doing it."
Adam Adamola, 25, added: "I think it's right, I have seen people parking in other bus lanes, it's risky. It would make sense. People should be given a warning first and then a fine. I'd say the signs are clean enough."
If motorists are found breaching either the bus lane or bus stop rules, the council says fines start at £70 but are halved if paid within 14 days. The changes were approved by Councillor Neil Clarke, who represents Bingham West for the Conservatives and is cabinet member for transport and environment, during a delegated decision on Monday (May 15).
Speaking after the decision was taken, Mr Clarke said: “We want to enforce bus lanes as there have been complaints of other road users using them. We want to make sure buses get priority as that’s what bus lanes are for, so enforcing it is the right thing to do.”
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