Bristol bus lane drivers fined by police
People illegally driving in a bus lane in Bristol city centre have been stopped and fined by police.
In an operation lasting an hour and a half, officers gave 26 drivers a £30 fine for using the bus lane in Temple Way.
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The lane, which is less than 100 metres long between the traffic lights at Temple Back and Temple roundabout is clearly signed and marked with red tarmac.
Buses, taxis and bikes are allowed to use it, although critics argue the lane is often empty during rush hour while the other two lanes approaching the roundabout are gridlocked.
The Association of British Drivers criticised police chiefs for wasting officers' time.
High Blaydon, a spokesman for the group, said: "Anyone who installs a bus lane which is as short as the one on Temple Way needs their head read.
"It's nonsensical. All it seems to achieve is causing an obstacle to traffic. Is it any wonder motorists who are fed up of waiting in traffic then drive along it?
"The police need to question what they are doing standing at the roadside waiting for these motorists when no doubt people are being robbed and mugged while they are stood there handing out their £30 fines."
During the operation on Thursday night, officers found two drivers illegally using the bus lane who had small amounts of cannabis on them.
They were handed on-the-spot cautions for possessing illegal drugs as they were deemed to be for personal use.
Police have said they will carry out other random checks on bus lanes around the city centre in a bid to stop motorists using them illegally.
Many of the drivers stopped by police on Thursday said they were using the lane because it was empty.
PC Nick King, the neighbourhood beat manager for the area, said "Drivers of all ages and gender were found to be breaking the law.
"Most admitted they just don't like waiting in the static traffic at the end of the day.
"We carried out this operation in response to concerns from members of the public and we will continue to carry out similar operations in the coming weeks."
Further operations will be carried out by police at random and unannounced at other bus lanes, including Redcliff Hill on the approach to Bedminster roundabout.
Mr King added: "Bus lanes can only be used by buses, taxis and motorcycles.
"This operation should send a clear message to other motorists that they cannot use bus lanes and anyone found to be doing so will receive a fixed penalty notice.
"We do not want to fine people however, and I hope that motorists will heed the warning, such behaviour will not be tolerated.
"This operation is in response to concerns from members of the public and shows that we will listen to residents' views and act on them where we can."
This comes after it was announced that motorists who park in Bristol bus lanes could be fined using CCTV footage
Bristol City Council confirmed that it plans to use its network of more than 100 cameras to read number plates and send through fixed penalty notices by post.
The fine is likely to be the standard £60 charge, reduced to £30 if paid within 28 days.
In December the Bristol Post reported how police targeted cyclists running red light.
21 Comments
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by mark, knowle
Monday, January 19 2009, 1:50PM
“The rising tide of cars in Bristol means more congestion. If you all want to drive, craving comfort and convenience, then don't be surprised when you get caught in big jams with everyone else who drives. Drivers create congestion and so bus lanes were developed as a response to keep buses on time. If car drivers start abusing them (yes, I know there are ones which allow you in at certain times), then everyone will abuse them and we'll end up with more congestion. As a cyclist, I get fed up of dodging drivers who suddenly pull out into a 24 hour bus lane without looking because they assume the space is free if it has no bus in it. My usual response, if I'm in front, is to cycle very, very slowly in the middle of the lane, just so they get the hint. It sometimes earns you kudos with other drivers who sit patiently while some numpty undercuts everyone!.
Drivers will just have to respect the fact that buses need the space and the downside of all that four wheel luxury is sitting in jams. If you want to use the bus lanes, take a bus or get a bicycle.”
by Shelly, BRISTOL
Saturday, January 17 2009, 10:38AM
“I think they should make bus lanes 2+ lanes as well. It would encourage more people to car share. It would also help the traffic flow.
And just remember folks, the reason the police are going after the motorists are twofold. Firstly it's a lot easier than real policing (they just sit there and wait for an offence to occur) and secondly they are actually making money instead of wasting it.”
by Ryan, Whitchurch
Saturday, January 17 2009, 1:22AM
“I use that road everyday and got stuck in traffic, yet again that night only to see one bus in the 20minutes use this total waste of space and the police stopping drivers and yes there had been five police officers at the roundabout when I reached it, is there no other crime in Bristol?”
by Vic, Bus Lane
Saturday, January 17 2009, 12:28AM
“If Bristol didn't have so many self-righteous people like us, full of our opinions on what other people should be doing, then the police wouldn't be under pressure to perform symbolic acts once in a Blue Moon aiming to assuage the fountain of moral indignation that we spout. In the days before online bulletin boards like this, the likes of us either had a rant at the missus or at mates down the pub. Either way, most of us wouldn't have bothered picking up a pen and paper and writing to the newspapers. The police wouldn't then have suffered the media fuelled imperative to tackle acts of extreme triviality. Let them get on with tackling crime in their way, and we can get on with shutting up.”
by bobbyo, clifton view
Friday, January 16 2009, 10:41PM
“Don`t worry about all the cars without TAX or insurrance or bold Tyres or the drivers without a Licence, or even better,all the Foreign or overseas drivers still driving on a licence out of date or they just don`t want to change it to a british one .No lets get all those bad drivers in bus lanes on there way to work, who pay their tax`s to run this bloody police force ! well done”