£80k fines row at bus station
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by Dan Bloom
dbloom@thekmgroup.co.uk
Drivers at Chatham’s new “no cars” bus station have been handed
fines worth more than £80,000.
Medway Council’s controversial CCTV cars spent up to 60 hours a
week clocking people who break new traffic rules – giving out a
ticket every 11 minutes.
Soon they will be caught 24 hours a day on permanent
cameras.
A civil servant who discovered the figures accused the car of
being a “cash cow” and called for more warning signs at the bus
station, which opened on October 10.
Only buses and taxis are allowed in for safety reasons, but
father-of-two Brad Cook from Walderslade investigated after Google
Maps directed him through Waterfront Way.
The 30-year-old, of Broadlands Drive, said: “There is a complete
lack of signage as you go down Rochester High Street and Medway
Street. I know the rules are the rules, but people have to
understand what the rules are.”
Mr Cook, who works for the government, made
a Freedom of Information request.
It revealed the spy cars spent 60 hours at the bus station in
its first week, 47 in its second week and an average of 20 hours a
week since – diverting them from duties outside schools and
on main roads.
There was a
month-long amnesty for confused drivers, but since then the council
has issued 1,356 fines worth £60 each.
The figure, achieved in less than three months, is more than
half the number of tickets given out in a whole year at Chatham’s
previous blackspot, Clover Street.
Mr Cook said: “I’m shocked at the figures. Drivers obviously
need to be educated.”
Campaigners for the NoToMob group, who want the cars scrapped,
did educate drivers – by turning around scores of them in Medway
Street using large “£60 fine” signs.
In total, 962 of the tickets have been paid, 745 at the quick
payment rate of £30, netting the council £35,000. Drivers have
appealed 125 times.
Cllr Tristan Osborne, spokesman for the Labour group which has
called for a full review of the cars, said: “We are not surprised
the CCTV car has been working flat-out to raise revenue.
“A full review should take place, with an option to scrap them
if it believed to be in the public interest.”
A council spokesman, who said “the question about signage is
answered in the fact that there are numerous signs”, revealed that
automatic cameras will soon be installed.
The spokesman would not reveal the installation date, but
an announcement was made and more detailed figures released on
Wednesday after the Messenger asked for a comment.
Robin Cooper, Medway Council’s director of regeneration,
community and culture, said: “I would imagine there is no bus
station in the country where people are allowed to drive through as
if it is an open road.”
More bus station debate in today's Medway
Messenger.
Thursday, February 02 2012
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