Bridge fines reach £1.6m just months after closure

CLOSING a major commuter route to cars has netted Bristol City Council £1.6 million in fines in only eight months.

Since a trial began in November last year more than 81,000 people have been fined for driving across Bristol Bridge.

Last week the council announced the trial closure of the bridge and some nearby routes to most traffic will be made permanent from today.

A Bristol City Council spokesperson said: “There are six cameras involved in the Bristol Bridge scheme spread across the approaches to the bridge, St Augustine’s Parade, Baldwin Street and Union Street.

“Since enforcement started in November last year, there have been 81,000 fines issued. It varies between 3,800 and 23,000 total fines issued from the individual cameras

“On Bristol Bridge itself, we have issued 33,582 fines since November.

“The total value of fines issued during this period is £1.6m which is money that is directed straight back into covering the costs of enforcement with any surplus used to benefit the transport network.”

The closure has banned general traffic from Bristol Bridge; Baldwin Street between St Augustine’s Parade and Marsh Street; Baldwin Street to High Street; and Union Street’s left turn onto Rupert Street.

Buses, solo motorcycles, taxis and cycles are given priority under the order.

Making the announcement during a press briefing last week, Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees said: “This intervention was one of the activities we have taken to intervene in the way traffic flows around the city to improve our air quality. It has proven successful.

“It is also part of the commitment we have made to delivering rapid bus routes around the city, which is contributing to the business case for the mass transit system that we are doing the work on.”

Describing the move as a very positive intervention for the city, the Mayor said air quality had improved on Victoria Street on almost all monthly readings since the scheme was introduced.

In the weeks after the trial came into force, 3,574 people signed a petition calling for the scheme to be reversed, citing the impact on local businesses. This triggered a counter-petition signed by 1,425 supporters of a “carfree healthy city centre”.

Hamid Parast, who owned Centre Cafe Lounge on Baldwin Street, claimed the scheme caused difficulties for deliveries, citing this as one of the reasons for the cafe’s closure in February.

But there has also been praise from Baldwin Street businesses.

Brewdog bar, Oowee takeaway and Five Grains cafe spoke about how the trial had created a more enjoyable environment for customers and made it easier for cyclists to deliver food from the street’s businesses.

Jon Kent > The closure of Bristol Bridge in the centre of the city to cars was introduced in November