Ninety motorists were caught on camera sneaking through a ‘bus gate’ on a Watford rat-run over just five days – but none have yet been fined.
Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) has installed an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera at the site of the bus gate on Woodmere Avenue.
Within five days of the camera being switched on, it recorded 90 motorists flouting the restriction. All of them will now receive a warning letter, and if they are caught again after a seven-day grace period, they will be issued with a penalty charge notice (PCN).
The council will continue to issue warning notices to those spotted for the first time until December 20. After that date, any motorist caught by the cameras will receive a PCN without warning.
Officials from HCC said the camera was installed following consultation with residents. They described the number of drivers already found to be breaking the rules as “surprising.”
A spokesperson for the county council said:
“Following consultation with residents in the local area, an ANPR camera has been installed on Woodmere Avenue to assist with the ongoing enforcement of the existing bus gate.
“Since coming into operation, the ANPR camera has detected a surprising number of drivers flouting the restrictions in place and using the gates.
“Clear signage is in place, and those identified have been issued with warning letters rather than a penalty charge notice, allowing them time to correct their driving behaviour and adhere to the Highway Code.
“Vehicles that have been issued with a prior warning letter who are then observed again using the gates will receive a penalty charge notice.”
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands that the ANPR cameras were installed at the site in December last year and were activated on June 20.
The PCN is a £70 charge, reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days.
At this point, the LDRS understands that 90 warning letters have been issued to motorists, but no PCNs have been issued yet.
Deborah is a Local Democracy Reporter covering news across Hertfordshire, with a strong focus on councils, local government and public policy. Her reporting includes county council decisions, council tax, spending pressures, legal and regulatory issues, healthcare stories including junior doctors, and community projects affecting local residents.
