Portable camera to catch Bradford bus lane cheats

8:00am Saturday 5th January 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By Hannah Postles, T&A Reporter

Vehicles using the Bolton Road bus lane where the portable camera will be used Vehicles using the Bolton Road bus lane where the portable camera will be used

A new portable camera which will be moved around the district to catch motorists who flout bus lane rules will go live in Bradford later this month.

The camera will initially be used on the outbound section of Bolton Road towards its junction with the A650 Shipley Airedale Road – where Bradford Council highways staff say they have received reports of vehicles ignoring the restrictions – but can be moved anywhere where there is a bus lane in force.

The Telegraph & Argus last month exclusively revealed the authority had received £2.3 million in paid fines over two and a half years since switching on cameras to catch motorists who misuse bus lanes and the Council said it had led to a 90 per cent drop in drivers breaking the rules.

Councillor Andrew Thornton, the Council’s executive member for environment, sport and sustainability, said: “Dedicated bus lanes increase the reliability of bus services and speed up journey times, which encourages the use of public transport. Those drivers who ignore bus lane restrictions risk delaying public transport as well as being a source of frustration and annoyance to law-abiding road users.

“Cameras are a cost-effective means of tackling those drivers who don’t comply with the rules.”

Figures released to the T&A under Freedom of Information rules showed that from April 2010 to December 2012 a total of 92,923 fines had been sent out to motorists, equating to 700 fines and £17,000 in income a week.

The penalty for ignoring bus lane restrictions is £60 – with a discount of up to £30 for prompt payment – which the Council said is used to cover the cost of enforcing the restrictions and making other improvements to the road network in the district.

Cameras at 11 key locations across the district continue to catch out drivers who flout the rules which allow buses, hackney cabs and cycles to use the lanes in a bid to cut traffic congestion.

Some bus lanes, such as those on the A650 Manningham Lane, operate only during rush hours, while others, such as those on Market Street in the city centre, operate permanently.

The Council said additional warning signs will be put at the first mobile site to make sure motorists are not taken unawares by the introduction of the camera.

Comments(38)

Joedavid says...
8:19am Sat 5 Jan 13

Strange it being put there in Bolton road, do the existing cameras not work?

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webess says...
9:10am Sat 5 Jan 13

Would be interested to know if it's indeed true that the council are raking in more cash than the bus companies?

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tinytoonster says...
9:12am Sat 5 Jan 13

yet more car driver punishing.
i understand having bus lanes in town centres but that road cannot have many buses going up it?
we want to get to and from work too you know.
car and fuel tax pays a lot of government bills not just road repair, give us a break!!

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Z.Raja says...
9:13am Sat 5 Jan 13

Great innovation to revenue purpose need. Bradford council can visit illegal retail type bazaar and can use cameras to identify the stall holders who are claiming benefits or not allowed to work in UK. These peoples are destroying Bradford legal trade. Use the sense and cameras to tackle this Black Trade Business. Even the council will not have to wait till 26th April 2013 hearing date. Monitor their business with cameras and the problem will be over within days.

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tinytoonster says...
9:14am Sat 5 Jan 13

webess wrote:
Would be interested to know if it's indeed true that the council are raking in more cash than the bus companies?
they have to so they can subsidies public transport.

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tinytoonster says...
9:15am Sat 5 Jan 13

Z.Raja wrote:
Great innovation to revenue purpose need. Bradford council can visit illegal retail type bazaar and can use cameras to identify the stall holders who are claiming benefits or not allowed to work in UK. These peoples are destroying Bradford legal trade. Use the sense and cameras to tackle this Black Trade Business. Even the council will not have to wait till 26th April 2013 hearing date. Monitor their business with cameras and the problem will be over within days.
wont happen, too soft.

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collos25 says...
9:35am Sat 5 Jan 13

What is the road for? a bus uses it once in while and then its empty what a waste of space its not as if the bus journey is any quicker .But Councillors have to get there rake from somewhere.

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JAtkinson says...
9:51am Sat 5 Jan 13

All for this. I queue with an empty bus lane next to me irrespective of cameras, etc - because I think it's the right thing to do. Nothing more annoying than someone shooting up the inside to push in.

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Willard says...
10:26am Sat 5 Jan 13

Hahaha, it's portable right? and it's going to move around the district?..If it isn't bolted down, it' is certainly to move around the district but not in a way predicted or controlled by our Lords and Masters in the comedy or errors at the Council. I wonder what this is worth as scrap?? :O

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webess says...
11:13am Sat 5 Jan 13

Sheffield council are operating a similar scheme, but at least they're honest enough to admit it's a cash generator and have even produced profit forecasts (about 250 grand per annum per camera).

Meanwhile Bradford council try to pretend it's all about easing traffic congestion and think we're dumb enough to believe them.

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Rambo says...
11:13am Sat 5 Jan 13

On one of my rare returns to Bradford I happened to drive down Leeds Road last week and experienced without a doubt the worst driving standards on one road I have ever experienced. You would find less recklessness in a warzone. And I know its been like this for years.

So why is nothing EVER done about it? I wonder.

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Albion. says...
11:28am Sat 5 Jan 13

tinytoonster wrote:
yet more car driver punishing.
i understand having bus lanes in town centres but that road cannot have many buses going up it?
we want to get to and from work too you know.
car and fuel tax pays a lot of government bills not just road repair, give us a break!!
If you drive in an active bus lane, you are punishing yourself! The penalties should be more severe.

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yezboss says...
11:52am Sat 5 Jan 13

Firstly it's time Bolton Road was returned to the general motorist. It was made a bus/taxi lane when they were constructing the Airedale Shipley Road and for that purpose only. It is underused. Also there are no fixed cameras there.
Secondly if they use that sign 'Bus Lasne Cameras' then appeal to the Adjudicator, it is unlawful. There is no such sign and the Council have to display a sign and the correct one which says 'Traffic Cameras' (all those signs are unlawful in this and every other City) To see the correct sign go to the Traffic Signs and General Direction Regs 2003.
It is paramount correct signs are displayed wherever for enforcment to be lawful.
E.G. The Highways Agency have just had to refund a lot of fines and cancel others because they were using the wrong speed limit sign in 'Managed Speed Limits' on some motorways. They have now amended the Regs to include the design of that sign otherwise they would have had to undertake a very costly exercise in sign font changing in that regard.

Also there is a precedent for that 'Bus Lane Cameras' sign being illegal.

See:-

Oxford CC v The Bus Lane Adjudicator heard in Birmingham Judical Review Court March 2010. There is a similar case elsewhere too.

I don't condone breaking the law but two wrongs do not make a right.

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johnhem says...
12:15pm Sat 5 Jan 13

what idiots we have in city hall. can't they see that all they do is force cars off an under-used road onto the main roads causing even more congestion. all those tailbacks from those lights could probably be eased by lifting the bus lane restrictions even if its only during off peak periods.

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The obvious says...
1:48pm Sat 5 Jan 13

Idiots at city hall. Must have the same sh!t for brains that shelfrhino has as a family tree.

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Joedavid says...
3:49pm Sat 5 Jan 13

Rambo wrote:
On one of my rare returns to Bradford I happened to drive down Leeds Road last week and experienced without a doubt the worst driving standards on one road I have ever experienced. You would find less recklessness in a warzone. And I know its been like this for years.

So why is nothing EVER done about it? I wonder.
Because it is in BD3.

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The Hoffster says...
4:37pm Sat 5 Jan 13

Rambo wrote:
On one of my rare returns to Bradford I happened to drive down Leeds Road last week and experienced without a doubt the worst driving standards on one road I have ever experienced. You would find less recklessness in a warzone. And I know its been like this for years.

So why is nothing EVER done about it? I wonder.
Because it'll start a race war.

I thought that was obvious ? {confuddled}

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arshid says...
9:15pm Sat 5 Jan 13

Z.Raja wrote:
Great innovation to revenue purpose need. Bradford council can visit illegal retail type bazaar and can use cameras to identify the stall holders who are claiming benefits or not allowed to work in UK. These peoples are destroying Bradford legal trade. Use the sense and cameras to tackle this Black Trade Business. Even the council will not have to wait till 26th April 2013 hearing date. Monitor their business with cameras and the problem will be over within days.
Your name is of a Desi your complaints about illegal bazaars not for the first time tells me your a Gora

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Shelfrhino says...
9:42pm Sat 5 Jan 13

The obvious wrote:
Idiots at city hall. Must have the same sh!t for brains that shelfrhino has as a family tree.
Nice to know you're thinking of me Lux.

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wobbley-bob says...
10:40pm Sat 5 Jan 13

arshid wrote:
Z.Raja wrote:
Great innovation to revenue purpose need. Bradford council can visit illegal retail type bazaar and can use cameras to identify the stall holders who are claiming benefits or not allowed to work in UK. These peoples are destroying Bradford legal trade. Use the sense and cameras to tackle this Black Trade Business. Even the council will not have to wait till 26th April 2013 hearing date. Monitor their business with cameras and the problem will be over within days.
Your name is of a Desi your complaints about illegal bazaars not for the first time tells me your a Gora
And something tells me you're a Kanjar.

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loftyme says...
10:34am Sun 6 Jan 13

Rambo wrote:
On one of my rare returns to Bradford I happened to drive down Leeds Road last week and experienced without a doubt the worst driving standards on one road I have ever experienced. You would find less recklessness in a warzone. And I know its been like this for years.

So why is nothing EVER done about it? I wonder.
I wouldnt even walk down there mate, never mind drive throught the shi£ole

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arshid says...
3:08pm Sun 6 Jan 13

wobbley-bob wrote:
arshid wrote:
Z.Raja wrote:
Great innovation to revenue purpose need. Bradford council can visit illegal retail type bazaar and can use cameras to identify the stall holders who are claiming benefits or not allowed to work in UK. These peoples are destroying Bradford legal trade. Use the sense and cameras to tackle this Black Trade Business. Even the council will not have to wait till 26th April 2013 hearing date. Monitor their business with cameras and the problem will be over within days.
Your name is of a Desi your complaints about illegal bazaars not for the first time tells me your a Gora
And something tells me you're a Kanjar.
No need for name calling i only wanted to know if u were a Gora because a lot of racism on the post. here towards us desi's

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loftyme says...
3:47pm Sun 6 Jan 13

And Gora isnt racist eh!!, taken from online dictionary
"A minor derogatory/joking word used by Indian people to refer to white people. "
its the same as referring to people from Pakistan as P*ki's

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Brannigan says...
4:38pm Sun 6 Jan 13

Whats the rush with the bus. Most of the passengers are either going to court or signing on.

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Albion. says...
5:08pm Sun 6 Jan 13

Brannigan wrote:
Whats the rush with the bus. Most of the passengers are either going to court or signing on.
Not when the bus lanes are active.

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scanipoos says...
6:23pm Sun 6 Jan 13

The driving in some parts of our city are APPALLING. how some folk have passed their test I Dont know. (i wouldnt be supprised if they had) but is this sort of driving is ignored THIS is the outcome. Why are the police totally ignoring bad driving...I can only Guess

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SinnerSaint says...
7:44pm Sun 6 Jan 13

arshid wrote:
Z.Raja wrote:
Great innovation to revenue purpose need. Bradford council can visit illegal retail type bazaar and can use cameras to identify the stall holders who are claiming benefits or not allowed to work in UK. These peoples are destroying Bradford legal trade. Use the sense and cameras to tackle this Black Trade Business. Even the council will not have to wait till 26th April 2013 hearing date. Monitor their business with cameras and the problem will be over within days.
Your name is of a Desi your complaints about illegal bazaars not for the first time tells me your a Gora
Is it a problem to complain about something illegal? Or is it only ok to complain about it if it's "gora" people involved?

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collos25 says...
7:51pm Sun 6 Jan 13

scanipoos wrote:
The driving in some parts of our city are APPALLING. how some folk have passed their test I Dont know. (i wouldnt be supprised if they had) but is this sort of driving is ignored THIS is the outcome. Why are the police totally ignoring bad driving...I can only Guess
You are talking about Bradford the home of every type of law breaker in the country the police do nothing the council do nothing so it gets worse every year.But having a mobile camera which is illegal to use to fetch prosecutions will solve all the problems.

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SinnerSaint says...
8:05pm Sun 6 Jan 13

scanipoos wrote:
The driving in some parts of our city are APPALLING. how some folk have passed their test I Dont know. (i wouldnt be supprised if they had) but is this sort of driving is ignored THIS is the outcome. Why are the police totally ignoring bad driving...I can only Guess
The same reason why when certain postcodes in Bradford constantly top the league tables for uninsured drivers, it's heavily publicised in the national papers causing huge embarrassment to the city YET not a single thing is done about it.

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SinnerSaint says...
12:14pm Mon 7 Jan 13

The Hoffster wrote:
Rambo wrote:
On one of my rare returns to Bradford I happened to drive down Leeds Road last week and experienced without a doubt the worst driving standards on one road I have ever experienced. You would find less recklessness in a warzone. And I know its been like this for years.

So why is nothing EVER done about it? I wonder.
Because it'll start a race war.

I thought that was obvious ? {confuddled}
Hoffster! First shooting of the year in Girlington last night. A whole 359 days left for the other one to happen. You know, seeing as there are only two a year like you said before.

#delusionaltit

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modman61 says...
12:53pm Mon 7 Jan 13

More to the point, what about all the drivers who DON'T use bus lanes when they are not in force. They are as bad as the drivers if not worse than those who do use the bus lanes when they are in force!

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flogem says...
7:38pm Mon 7 Jan 13

modman61 wrote:
More to the point, what about all the drivers who DON'T use bus lanes when they are not in force. They are as bad as the drivers if not worse than those who do use the bus lanes when they are in force!
A very good point it encourages undertaking.

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GlobalSingh says...
12:27am Wed 9 Jan 13

Surely what is needed urgently are more traffic police and for traffic cheats and dangerous drivers to retake the driving test and/or educated on showing courtesy and tolerance to other road users...Bradford is laughably notorious for its highly incompetent and dangerous drivers...deterents are critical to stop all the carnage on our roads...£10,000 fines and up to 10 years in prison without parole could work and make them think again before flouting the Law with utter contempt! if our politicians actually had the conviction to tackle the issues facing Bradfod.

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Mutha.Slimer says...
10:42am Wed 9 Jan 13

What about drivers who drive on pavements and constantly go through red lights?, I see this EVERY afternoon, traffic lights at top of canterbury avenue when Grange school is kicking out, I can queue for 10 minutes and see "other drivers" come up the inside on the pavement or down the outside and straight through the red lights, this is happening EVERY DAY.

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SinnerSaint says...
12:27pm Wed 9 Jan 13

Mutha.Slimer wrote:
What about drivers who drive on pavements and constantly go through red lights?, I see this EVERY afternoon, traffic lights at top of canterbury avenue when Grange school is kicking out, I can queue for 10 minutes and see "other drivers" come up the inside on the pavement or down the outside and straight through the red lights, this is happening EVERY DAY.
"Some people" just don't think the law applies to them. The same ones who think that taxing and insuring cars doesn't apply to them either.

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Huddsboy says...
3:32pm Wed 9 Jan 13

I've just received a fixed penalty notice. My crime ? Bank Holiday at 4.00pm on Xmas Day i drove in the bus lane. No bus services running, the road was deserted apart from me. A genuine mistake on my part as due to the road conditions i genuinely thought it was a Sunday. I wasn't trying to cheat or blatantly ignore the restrictions but this doesn't seem to count in the eyes of the authorities. I'm not local but Welcome to Bradford ? - No thankyou.

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flogem says...
7:20pm Wed 9 Jan 13

Huddsboy wrote:
I've just received a fixed penalty notice. My crime ? Bank Holiday at 4.00pm on Xmas Day i drove in the bus lane. No bus services running, the road was deserted apart from me. A genuine mistake on my part as due to the road conditions i genuinely thought it was a Sunday. I wasn't trying to cheat or blatantly ignore the restrictions but this doesn't seem to count in the eyes of the authorities. I'm not local but Welcome to Bradford ? - No thankyou.
Bad luck about the fixed penalty.
Not sure why the road conditions should have any bearing on which day of the week it is.

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Huddsboy says...
7:26am Fri 11 Jan 13

flogem wrote:
Huddsboy wrote: I've just received a fixed penalty notice. My crime ? Bank Holiday at 4.00pm on Xmas Day i drove in the bus lane. No bus services running, the road was deserted apart from me. A genuine mistake on my part as due to the road conditions i genuinely thought it was a Sunday. I wasn't trying to cheat or blatantly ignore the restrictions but this doesn't seem to count in the eyes of the authorities. I'm not local but Welcome to Bradford ? - No thankyou.
Bad luck about the fixed penalty. Not sure why the road conditions should have any bearing on which day of the week it is.
"Road Conditions" meaning they were deserted, no one around be it cars, buses and pedestrians lulling me in to thinking it was Sunday afternoon.

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