£1/2 million in fine income generated by cameras on Lendal Bridge and Coppergate. Call for bridge closure trial to be suspended

We have discovered that during the first week of the Lendal Bridge closure around 1000 drivers per day were caught by enforcement cameras.

Lendal bridge after its clsure

This would have generated up to £480,000 in fine revenue, had the Council not agreed to an amnesty.

However, no formal decision was taken by the Council on the amnesty, so questions still need to be answered about who took the (admittedly correct) decision to waive the income.

An independent company is processing the ANPR recognition results for the Council. They are understood to be Imperial Civil Enforcement Solutions Ltd of Northampton. No details of the payments due to the contractor have been revealed or whether such payments vary in relation to the number of penalty notices issued.

The situation on Coppergate is equally bad.

Here the times of the access restrictions were extended with minimal publicity.

Many drivers continued to observe the old hours resulting in a large number of offenders.

The Council announced only yesterday that the fines for the first two weeks of the Coppergate restrictions – which were introduced on 1st August – had also been waived.

Why this information was not made available in August remains unclear.

Now the Council has said that around 3000 potential offenders have been caught on camera since the 16th August. Although some of these may win appeals against the penalty notices, potentially the Council could receive £160,000 in fine income for just two weeks of the restrictions.

That is equivalent to £5 million a year!

What must now be clear to even the most ardent advocate of ANPR cameras, is that their use to monitor traffic restrictions of this sort needs to be properly advertised in the period up to their introduction.

Their existence and purpose must also be clearly signed on approach roads.

The Lendal trial was rushed in by the Council and its implementation has been bungled.

Like the citywide 20 mph speed limit, it is being imposed on an unwilling population.

The trial should be suspended and a proper review conducted into the problems that have occurred.

The city’s reputation is at stake and the prosperity of the central area could be irreparably damaged if a halt to the trial is not called.

No “footfall” figures – showing the number of shoppers in the central area over the last few days – are yet available, but we fear the worst.

The blunders may prove to have put the worthy cause of increased pedestrianisation in the City back by a decade.

Vehicle damage claims against York Council increase by over 400%

Potholes

The number of claims for damage to vehicles in York, as a result of poor road surfaces, has increased by over 400%.

In 2011/12, 13 drivers made a claim against the York Council

This spiralled to 70 in 2012/13

The value of compensation paid, however, reduced from £1455 to £333.

The Council had halved the amount that it was investing in highways maintenance in 2012/13.

A Freedom of Information response has identified the road in poorest condition in York.

Moor Lane, near Murton, attracted 10 damage claims between 23-12-2012 and 06-01-2013

The Council says that, generally, a road has a surface design life of 15 years.

At any one time there are around 40 potholes on the York road network requiring attention. This increases in the winter as a result of the impact that ice has on poorly maintained carriageway surfaces.

Potholes can be reported here http://www.mycouncilservices.com/

Monk Bar traffic lights faulty, traffic congestion on inner ring road

Click to update. Teatime expected to be busy today

Click to update. Teatime expected to be busy today

Still heavy traffic around St Leonards Place.

Don’t forget that the Council is saying that it will levy £60 fines on those misusing Lendal Bridge from today

Motorists exploit Lendal bridge fine amnesty?

click to update

click to update


It looks like many drivers have heard about the fine amnesty on Lendal Bridge this afternoon.

Many are opting to use that route in preference to the heavily congested Bootham/Clifton Bridge link.

As a result there is standing traffic on St Leonards Place as well as on Lendal Bridge itself.

The Council is being pressed to reveal the value of the fines- levied during the first 10 days of the Lendal bridge closure – that it is cancelling.

Some estimates put the figure at over £100,000.

The Council is understood to be employing a third party to process the penalty notices and it is unclear how that contractor will now be paid for the work that it has done.

The Council says that it will levy fines for misuse from tomorrow (Wednesday)

Council amnesty on Lendal bridge fines?

The media is reporting that the Council will waive the fines due from motorists who have used Lendal Bridge during the last 10 days.

No indication has been given of the number of penalty notices this would affect.

Camera
The Council is saying that it will use the number plate recognition cameras (ANPR) to enforce the access restrictions from tomorrow (Wednesday).

The amnesty statement has not apparently been issued by Cllr Merrett who is responsible for the closure.

No statement has been made about any amnesty for those who have fallen foul over the last month of the extended restrictions on Coppergate.

The restrictions there are also being enforced through the use of ANPR technology.

Meanwhile the City centre is very quiet today raising fears that shoppers are being discouraged by the controversy surrounding the Lendal bridge closure trial.

The Council are being asked to publish daily data from their footfall cameras.

Although most City centre traders and visitor attractions have reported a buoyant summer, the period leading up to Christmas is the most critical time of the year for City centre shops.

If shoppers shun the City centre then it could be the death knell for some small traders.

Lendal Bridge closure – Council seeks residents reaction

Lendal bridge notice

Although not very prominent on their web site, the Council have provided an opportunity for residents to feed back on their travel experiences following the Lendal Bridge closure.

You can find the form by clicking here

Meanwhile, this weekend is the first test of how peak shopping trips to the City centre are affected.

The Council has been asked to reveal how many unauthorized vehicles have used the bridge each day since the restrictions started. More signs have been put in place to try to reduce the number.

A similar request has been made for information about the number of drivers being caught on the cameras now monitoring Coppergate.

Traffic congestion update – Essential resurfacing works on Askham Fields Lane roundabout tonight and tomorrow

click on image for latest position

click on image for latest position

Traffic congestion is increasing on the inner ring road as the Friday evening peak approaches. Click map for up to date information

The City of York Council will carry out essential resurfacing works on the roundabout on Askham Fields Lane from Friday (30 August).

The works are programmed to take two nights in total to complete, working Friday and Saturday nights between the hours of 10pm and 5am.

To carry out the works safely, a road closure will be in place and there will be a signed diversion route in operation for local and through traffic.

Pedestrian access will be available at all times. Cyclists will have to dismount and use the footways when travelling through the affected areas.

Bus services will be diverted whilst the works are ongoing. Please contact Bus Info on 01904 551400 for the revised arrangements.

As with any construction work, there is likely to be a certain amount of disruption and inconvenience but everything reasonably possible will be done to keep this to a minimum. However, motorists should expect some delays and plan their journey accordingly.