Campaigners have failed in an attempt to secure refunds for controversial bus lane fines.
Cameras monitoring four bus lanes – also known as bus gates – in Valley Gardens, Brighton, have brought in more than £2 million in fines since they became operational in January last year.
More than 9,600 drivers were sent £60 tickets in October last year – reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days – and the figure was said to be down from August.
A deputation called Refund Valley Gardens Bus Gate Fines, led by Nicholas Hallett, called on Brighton and Hove City Council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee to suspend fines and give drivers their money back.
The submission made to the committee yesterday (Tuesday 15 March) said that the signs were inadequate and the council had not taken action to inform people about the changed layout.
But when the same committee met in January, the council’s head of transport Mark Prior said that the signs along Valley Gardens went “above and beyond” the requirements.
Mr Hallett said that adding new signs and reinstalling removed signs were “an acknowledgement” that the scheme did not adequately guide drivers.
He said: “Because it doesn’t appear in the Highway Code, drivers have not routinely been trained to understand bus gates and their ramifications.
“Also, drivers who have not driven along Marlborough Place, Gloucester Place, St George’s Place and York Place for a couple of years are now likely to be confused by the new, rather unintuitively configured road layout with, among other things, its reliance on bus gates.”
Mr Hallett said that the council should suspend fines until it had installed more signs.
Green councillor Steve Davis, who chaired the meeting yesterday, said that the council reviewed the signs after the January meeting and no changes were required.
Councillor Davis said: “The main reason for lost appeals include medical emergency, incorrect vehicle registration, late provision of evidence, road surface erosion which has been rectified and procedural error.
“Valley Gardens bus gates have been designed using Department for Transport guidance, specifically the transport signs manual.”
Councillor Davis said that bus gates had been in the city for 16 years and the signs were all in order.
Conservative councillor Robert Nemeth asked for a report to consider a redesign of the “defective junctions” in Valley Gardens and a second report to consider returning fines.
He said that bus gates were a “legal oddity” because they were extremely short bus lanes, no longer than the line in the road.
Speaking about the York Place bus gate, Councillor Nemeth said: “The last time that I checked, around half of all motorists were making the error. This is completely unacceptable.
“The promise of a clear road ahead is a honey trap that is surely now in place just to raise funds. A redesign would be so easy but it just hasn’t taken place.”
His fellow Conservative Garry Peltzer Dunn questioned whether it was “morally right” to keep the layout and signs as they were – even though they were legally correct – because drivers kept making mistakes.
Labour councillor Gary Wilkinson said that bus gates were essential to restrict cars and improve bus journeys in high-traffic areas.
He said: “In encouraging sustainable travel, we must ensure that our bus lanes are clear to drivers and that there is clear, understandable signage in place across the city.
“Labour has called for this in respect of the newer bus lanes in the city and I would suggest that more than average bus lane contraventions are flagged up much earlier – which seems to be a mess in the case of the bus gates – in order to review any signage issues.”
Green and Labour councillors voted against refunding fines and reviewing the road layout.
Mr Hallett, with the greatest of respect, how many more signs do you need in this area ?
If you wrongly enter Marlborough Place, you have not yet committed an offence. On the approach to the lights at North road, bright yellow signs inform of CCTV. Further, there’s big blue direction signs informing drivers that they must turn right at North road. Even the traffic lights, that you must surely look at, also inform you must turn right, direction arrow.
No, the signs are already clear and conform to legal requirements if people can’t be bothered to look at them, tough luck, pay the fine and more attention.
The signs are far from clear. The term bus gate means nothing to people. It should be marked as busses only. You cant see the bus gate signs if they have a bus over them. Needs to clearly indicate turn right only. I saw three people go though in under 5 minutes. It is shameful on the council and just money grabing.
David
The signs are very clear if people bothered to look at them and understand what they mean.
First, while the term ‘Gate’ may not mean anything, surely the word ‘BUS’ would register.
Second, it is not for Buses only is it?
It’s for access for buildings and properties, taxis and deliveries etc.
Hence bus gate.
If you turn Into Marlborough Place for whatever reason, there are BIG BLUE ROAD TRAFFIC SIGNS on both sides of the road clearly telling Drivers they MUST TURN RIGHT AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS.
When you are waiting at the traffic lights, the lights also indicate you must turn right, BLUE CIRCLE WITH RIGHT POINTING ARROW.
If you do not know what these signs mean, perhaps you shouldn’t be driving until you’ve read a copy of the Highway Code and Know your traffic signs or perhaps a visit to Specsavers.
Turn right? Where they hinder buses?
London Road is full of traffic. 2 lanes down to one lane is a poor choice.
keith
Delaying buses due to other vehicles waiting to turn happens all over the city.
The whole VG layout is a complete disaster and will get worse when were blessed with VG3.
The amendment to the highway code states that buses must give way to smaller vehicles, so NOW cars refuse to let a bus pull out from a bus stop. This is a hindrance. Even blocking access to a junction when waiting to pull out. But that was a problem before the clarification in the highway code. Which only updates that pedestrians waiting at junctions (not anywhere and everywhere) should give way to them if safe..
If… safe… a few times it isn’t.
Astonishing to see the amount of supposed adults who are utterly convinced that if you commit a crime in your car it doesn’t really count.
A lane is a route. A gate is a movable physical barrier. Who are these people destroying our language, and what motivates them.
I’m tempted to ask “where was they edificated?”, or “why you no speak English?”, but they wouldn’t understand.
Jason
Bus Gates appear in many places now, and you make a valid point.
The term ‘Gate’ has came from London I believe where there was literally a ‘Gate’ that drivers had to activate, also for other authorised vehicles, so think ‘BUS GATE’ is being used because other vehicles can use the BUS LANE.
“what motivates them?”. Money.
My first road traffic fine in 30 years of motoring. Paid it as, I admit, I did unwittingly go through your ‘bus gate’ but have to say even though this is a fraction of the money I spent in
your town I feel ripped off by this and I won’t be back again.
Went thru a bus gate.. very minimum signs and wet weather making road markings difficult to see as a tourist.. as soon as I cross the line.. no turning back.. really tarnished my brighton visit.. now expecting a fine in the post. Not impressed as Google earth shows how easy it’s to fall into the honey trap the council has laid.