St Ives: New car hole trap signs installed to prevent incidents

At least 60 drivers have been stuck in the car trap leading to the busway, the county council said

A council hopes that new signage will prevent drivers getting stuck in so-called car trap holes at a guided busway.

The traps in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, are designed to stop vehicles - except buses - from entering the guided route.

Cambridgeshire County Council said it has installed extra signs to try making the restriction clearer.

John King, 73, who lives in St Ives, said: "I still don't think it's clear enough.

"It's not signposted well enough, so people - older people especially - just don't notice it and drive straight onto it.

"I know it's got 'no entry' but they don't always see it. People still do it every week."

The hole in the road acts as a so-called car trap to prevent vehicles entering the guided busway

Resident John King said the signs were not clear enough

The county council said it was aware of 60 occasions when drivers had "turned into the busway at St Ives" - at the junction of Harrison Way and Station Road - during the 12 years since the traps were installed.

But Julie, also in St Ives, said she thought there had been more incidents than that.

"In October there were so many incidents," she said. "I have seen some people today approach it but then turn around."

John King says he has seen cars going into the trap "every week"

The council said it installed two no entry and 'guided bus only' signs

Ann, another resident, said although "the signs are pretty obvious, it's quite a big problem for people from outside of the area".

Cambridge County Council said: "On 30 October we installed two additional 'no entry' and 'guided bus only' signs before the traffic lights where the car trap is.

"We have also placed 'no through road' signs at the exit of the Market Street car park"