A councillor is calling for drivers to have their fines returned because, he says, Brighton’s new “bus gates” – or bus lanes – are not working.
Conservative councillor Robert Nemeth was shocked when he heard that almost 10,000 people were fined for driving through bus gates along Brighton’s Valley Gardens scheme during October.
Cars are now banned from Marlborough Place, St George’s Place, York Place and St Peter’s Place and have been since the two-year £11 million revamp of Valley Gardens was completed in September last year.
In the first month, Brighton and Hove City Council sent warnings to 4,972 drivers, alerting them to the new restrictions.
The council started issuing fines in January and is believed to have raised more than £1.8 million in penalties this year.
More than 9,600 drivers were sent £60 tickets in October – reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days – and the figure was said to be down from August.
When officials revealed the figures at the council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee meeting last month, Councillor Nemeth said that on average one driver was being fined every two minutes.
He plans to propose a motion at a meeting of the full council next Thursday (16 December), asking for a report to look at options to redesign the “defective junctions”.
He wants a second report to look at returning fines to drivers who have been caught out by the changes.
Councillor Nemeth said: “If thousands of people are fined a year after the gates are installed, then obviously there is something that has gone very wrong.
“These people should have their fines refunded. Redesigning the junctions is essential to stop this situation from continuing.”
Fellow Conservative councillor Carol Theobald has submitted a question to be answered at the meeting next week asking if there is any guidance for best practice when it comes to signs for bus gates.
The meeting of the full council is due to start at 4.30pm on Thursday 16 December at Hove Town Hall. The meeting is scheduled to be webcast on the council’s website.
Trust a Tory to advocate for ignoring the law.
It isn’t just a national government problem, but local as well.
Where is he advocating ignoring the law? You just made that up.
What he is actually advocating is a review of a flawed traffic system!
He’s standing by a buses only sign and a big white painted bus gate sign on the road . That seems just as clear as being told no parties last Christmas but sone people just can’t understand
It’s somewhat ironic that the car hating Greens need cars to provide money in the Transport pot, so they can roll out increasingly ludicrous traffic schemes. The Greens are quite simply, scum
Of course he does..
Nemeth is a divisive culture warrior who will say or do anything to advance his career knowing that our local news will never bother to fact check him.
He is not a Greenie so that is a huge plus for him.
Nor is he a social media slug just a very effective councillor for his constituents.
Which one do you come under dear? Is that why you are so sad?
With respect, you call yourself “Car Delenda Est”, isn’t that a little “divisive culture warrior” language? Surely you know that not everybody is fit and healthy and a lot of people depend on they car to access comunity, services and the work place…honestly sometimes, some greens behave like a sort of Countryside Alliance on a bike
Breaking news! Member of party which breaks the law and lets people off wants to let those who break the law off!
Sky blue, Pope Catholic, Tories think they’re above the law…