Chelmsford bus gate: Drivers overturn 'confusing' penalties

The bus gate in Duke Street has been enforced since cameras were installed in 2017

More than 75% of motorists who went to tribunal over fines for using a bus gate managed to overturn their penalty.

A total of 257 penalty charge notices (PCNs), resulting from cameras positioned at Chelmsford railway station, have been overturned or not contested at tribunal.

One of the tribunals heard that drivers could be "confused" by the signage at the viaduct in Duke Street.

Essex County Council said the bus gate was "necessary" for reducing traffic.

Psychologist Bernardine King, pictured in 2019, said there were too many signs for drivers to process around the Duke Street bus gate

It has been illegal for car drivers to go through the bus gate since 2011.

A request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, made by the BBC, revealed 142,192 PCNs have been issued since cameras were installed in 2017.

The council won 76 of the 343 tribunals.

"That suggests to me that the tribunal is not convinced that the signage is good enough," said Mike Mackrory, the Liberal Democrat group leader at the council.

"It is something the county council needs to address urgently, because obviously people are confused."

The council won only one case at tribunal, out of 43, in 2017, and the blue bus gate signs were later positioned at a higher level to improve visibility.

Psychologist Dr Bernardine King, whose PCN was quashed after a tribunal concluded the signage was "inadequate", said she was "shocked" more had not been done.

"At some point in time there is going to be a major accident," said Dr King, from Maldon, who specialises in people's reading and visual processing.

"You've got all those cycles down the side road that are for hire; an extremely busy station; and buses parked outside which reduces the width of the road, so that people who need to do a U-turn to avoid the bus gate, are not able to."

'Sustainable travel'

A council spokesman said that, as well as the blue signs, the road markings had been accepted by traffic penalty tribunal officers.

"[The bus gate is] necessary to reduce traffic at this busy point allowing buses to be punctual and more reliable, which in turn promotes sustainable travel," said the spokesman.

"All money generated by PCNs from bus gates in Essex is ring-fenced and reinvested."