Alarm as bus lane cameras snare 1,680 city drivers; Motorists will escape with 'dummy' fine.Byline: DAVID BARTLETT The Honourable David John Bartlett is the Minister for Education in Tasmania. He is a Tasmanian Labor politician and member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly in the electorate of Denison. MORE than 1,680 drivers were caught on CCTV CCTV abbr. closed-circuit television CCTV closed-circuit television abusing bus lanes in Liverpool city centre in their first three days in operation. Council officials were amazed by the number of people caught breaking the rules since the cameras were activated on Monday. But those caught will escape a pounds 60 fine because the council is issuing "dummy tickets" for the first few weeks of the new scheme. Drivers using the bus lanes in Lime Street This article is about Lime Street, an American television series. For the railway station in Liverpool, see Liverpool Lime Street railway station. Lime Street , Old Haymarket/St John's Lane and the right turn into James Street
For the James Street in Hamilton, see James Street (Hamilton, Ontario). from The Strand face the fine. The penalty is reduced to pounds 30 for early payers. Parking manager Roy Tunstall said: "I nearly fell off my chair when I saw the number of people abusing the bus lanes. "It is an amazingly large number of people. I have to admit I am quite alarmed by it. "We knew there was excessive abuse, but not like this. "We are hoping in time the number starts to fall, but realistically there will always be motorists who flout flout v. flout·ed, flout·ing, flouts v.tr. To show contempt for; scorn: flout a law; behavior that flouted convention. See Usage Note at flaunt. v.intr. the rules." Surveys in the three initial sites identified up to 77% of motorists abusing the bus lane. Officials anticipate around 10,000 tickets will be issued each year. Taxis - both hackney cabs and private hire vehicles - can use the bus lanes. The cameras are linked to a control room and recordings will be checked before a penalty notice is issued to bus lane hogs. There will also be checks to ensure there are no mitigating circumstances, such as brokendown vehicles. Last year, the council said the cost of the scheme, including improved lane signage and camera installation, was pounds 235,000, with the running costs estimated at pounds 210,000 a year. Mr Tunstall added: "We have got to support the use of public transport, and the way the council can do that most effectively is by cutting journey times. "To do that, we have to give buses priority on certain routes. We need to have bus lanes with proper enforcement. "Motorists have been used to a free run, so we are expecting to catch a lot of people." CAPTION(S): Bus lane camera warning signs in Renshaw Street, Liverpool |
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