Drivers warned - more powerful bus lane cameras switched on

Motorists beware . . . bus lane cameras are set to net more offenders than ever after a new state-of-the-art CCTV system was switched on across Lancashire.
Fishergate's controversial bus lane is estimated to have earned LCC up to 2m.Fishergate's controversial bus lane is estimated to have earned LCC up to 2m.
Fishergate's controversial bus lane is estimated to have earned LCC up to 2m.

County Hall bosses have brought in the new enforcement equipment covering 15 locations including Preston and Lancaster to replace cameras which were struggling to cope with demand.

Now drivers who flout bus lane regulations are more likely to get a ticket than under the previous system.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The county council has admitted that technical issues meant the old cameras were failing to capture every offender.

Fishergate bus lane cameras have been replaced by a state-of-the-art system.Fishergate bus lane cameras have been replaced by a state-of-the-art system.
Fishergate bus lane cameras have been replaced by a state-of-the-art system.

Now the new Videalert system will mean the highways authority will be able to catch more culprits and manage multiple types of contravention at the same time, like illegal parking. And there will be less “downtime” if the cameras experience a fault.

Peter Bell, LCC’s principal regulation and enforcement officer, explained that the old cameras were “seriously impacting on the effectiveness of our bus lane and ongoing parking enforcement strategy.”

The council decided to switch to Videalert when bus lane cameras were introduced at five new locations in Preston, Burnley and Accrington last year.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In the deal 10 cameras at seven existing locations in Preston, Lancaster and Clayton-le-Moors were updated with the new equipment.

Mr Bell said the new equipment meant the council could extend the system in the future.