High Street drivers will now be fined
NEW APNR CAMERA CONTROL COMES INTO FORCE ON MONDAY
DRIVERS in Burton will soon face being slapped with fines if they flout a new bus gate order imposed along High Street in the town centre.
The order comes into force from Monday, September 6, when fixed penalty notices will be handed out to drivers who ignore the rules. The section of High Street, which is pedestrianised, has long been used as a cut through by motorists to nip around the town centre, to the annoyance of shoppers.
The bus gate, operated by an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera, has been installed as part of a recent improvement scheme in the town centre – and means drivers who ignore the signs risk a fine arriving in the post.
It covers High Street’s junction with New Street and Lichfield Street to the junction with Worthington Way, permitting only buses and bicycles all day. Taxis and loading are permitted between the hours of 4pm and 10am.
Highways chiefs say, by installing the bus gate, pedestrian safety will be improved in High Street.
They say through-traffic, other than buses and taxis, will be removed and maintenance of the previous rising bollards will not be needed.
High Street has long been a source of problems as cars use it as a cut-through around the town centre, even though it is pedestrianised, with many near misses involving vehicles and shoppers.
Rising bollards were installed in 2008 to stop cars cutting through and many were seriously damaged as drivers ignored the rules.
Dozens of drivers were left stranded and their cars wrecked as they tried to nip through behind buses – and it quickly became a daily occurrence.
The bollards have been mothballed since 2014 following a funding dispute between East Staffordshire Borough Council and Staffordshire County Council. They have now been replaced by the new cameras.
Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport David Williams said: “The new bus gate forms part of a wider package of improvements in Burton’s High Street and will improve pedestrian safety in the area.
“While the camera has been operational for a few weeks now, so far drivers flouting the order have been issued with warning notices.
“From Monday, fixed penalty notices will be issued instead, so we’d like to remind everyone that the order in place. We will continue to work with East Staffordshire Borough Council to regenerate Burton town centre.”