New cameras will help keep bus routes clear
Two dozen new bus lane cameras are being installed in the city to support bus services and other road users by helping to keep the lanes clear.
The council won £267,000 of funding from Coast2Capital for the scheme and is providing match funding of £212,250. Revenue from Penalty Charge Notices will cover ongoing maintenance and support.
Cameras will be installed along the following routes:
- Carden Avenue to Western Road, City Centre
- Oxford Street and London Road
- Eastern Road and Edward Street
- Vogue Gyratory to Stanmer Park
- A259 Ovingdean and Rottingdean to East Sussex County Council boundary
Councillor Gill Mitchell, chair of the environment, transport & sustainability committee, said: “Our bus services are extremely popular and that’s why it’s important that we do our bit to ensure dedicated bus lanes are clear for them to use. This in turn improves the journey times and reliability of services for passengers.
“Bus lanes also provide extra space for cyclists, emergency vehicles, taxis and motorcycles on some routes, so bus lane enforcement supports them too.”
A contract for the bus lane cameras was recently awarded to the company Spur Information Solutions Ltd (Conduent) which is currently installing the new cameras and replacing three existing cameras. While work is carried out, short stretches of bus lane is being closed for brief periods. Any work at busy junctions such as the clock tower is taking place outside of peak times.
The new camera operation is planned to begin in April, but to enable drivers to get used to the new enforcement sites (existing sites will be enforced as usual), any vehicle seen driving down the bus lane for the first two weeks of operation will be issued with a warning notice by post. After the two week warning period, Penalty Charge Notices will be issued.
More information on bus lanes here