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The new smart cameras will initially be installed at the A38 Barrow Gurney and A370 Brockley Combe junctions and will be operational from Monday 31 March.
Any drivers caught using the bus lanes at these locations, within the first six months of the ANPR cameras being switched on, will receive a warning notice for a first offence. Motorists found misusing the bus lanes after this first six months of ANPR camera enforcement, or after committing a first offence, will receive a £70 penalty charge notice (reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days).
Motorists who misuse bus lanes pose a safety risk to others and risk delaying bus passengers. ANPR cameras automatically detect and capture the number plates of vehicles using bus lanes illegally. Images are checked by trained review officers, and a penalty issued to the keeper or owner, if their vehicle has not been pre-authorised to use a particular bus lane.
In line with national guidance, the bus lanes at the A38 Barrow Gurney, Bridgwater Road junction, and the A370 Brockley Combe crossroads junction, can be legally used by buses, school buses, cyclists, motorcycles and hackney carriages – and this is communicated by clear signage at the entrance of the bus lane. Buses are classified as a vehicle with at least one driver and eight passenger seats. Private hire vehicles are not authorised to use the bus lanes.
Cllr Hannah Young, Executive Member for Transport and Highways said: “The vast majority of motorists do follow the rules but there is a minority who drive in bus lanes, which poses a safety risk to other road users and can delay the buses. The ANPR cameras will help us to enforce the legal highway restrictions, and any surplus revenue raised will be reinvested in our public transport and roads for the benefit of all.”
Penalty notices include appeal information as standard, though motorists should be aware that following satellite navigation instructions is not accepted as a justification.
The new enforcement cameras are supported by dedicated funding from UK Government through the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP). The conditions of the funding mean it cannot be used for any Council services or activities outside of the BSIP. Read more at: www.n-somerset.gov.uk/bsip