Crazy city council’s money-making plan

VERY little surprises me nowadays about the current crazy city council. So it was no surprise to read on front page of the Post that 2,075 fines were issued in just three weeks for motorists unintentionally going into the new bus lane on Canal Street.

This amounts to almost 100 cars a day and if it continues for a whole year the council will earn between one and two million pounds just from this short stretch.

I have twice recently come very close to falling foul myself of this ridiculous money-making bus lane. If you are used to a route it is very easy to be on auto-pilot and not notice the signage. And for any visitors following a sat-nav Nottingham is now an absolute nightmare. Nottingham does not have any 24-hour bus lanes so we really don’t need any 24-hour bus lanes. Why did councillors authorise this stupid new system that involved closing Collin Street down and making cars drive a very long way round?

It is especially annoying that the council have once again totally failed to hold a well-publicised consultation about controversial and unwanted changes. I was certainly not aware of any consultation otherwise I would have sent in written objections.

I suspect that all 2,075 people recently fined would also have objected as well as would the vast majority of people who visit Nottingham. If it was really essential that cars no longer use this road I am sure that the council would immediately introduce better signage and even paint the road red but probably Councillor Mellen is rubbing his hands with glee at the massive financial windfall. Paul Rowe Stapleford