Leeds Vicar Lane bus gate: Council repays thousands of fines
- Published
The bus gate on Vicar Lane was introduced to improve roads for public transport, the council said
More than 11,000 fines issued to motorists after changes to a busy junction in Leeds have been cancelled.
The £30 fixed penalty notices were sent out in the space of just over a month after a new "bus gate" was brought in on Vicar Lane in the city centre.
Thousands of people who paid the fines have been refunded while the council has dismissed outstanding notices.
A councillor said the number of fines meant more measures making restrictions clearer should be implemented.
The bus gate, which is a section of road blocked off to traffic except buses, hackney carriages and cycles, was introduced last year to stop cars turning off Vicar Lane onto Lady Lane between 05:00 and 22:00.
Between 1 November and 9 December 2021, a total of 11,159 fines were issued, with 4,747 £30 tickets being paid, totalling £142,410, the council confirmed.
The information was revealed after a question was submitted by councillor Conrad Hart-Brooke, who said the "well-used" route should not have been closed in the first place, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
Councillor Helen Hayden, who was responding to the question, said the camera, which was switched on in October, had now stopped issuing fines and all paid tickets had been been refunded.
She added any outstanding notices would also be dismissed.
'Crazy waste'
Ms Hayden, who is executive member for infrastructure and climate, said: "While it is felt that the current markings and advanced notices are legally sufficient, the volume of infringements indicates extra measures should be considered.
"These measures are soon being drawn up with a view to approval and implementation as soon as possible."
But Mr Hart-Brooke said there was "absolutely zero reason" to have closed the route in the first place and Lady Lane should be re-opened.
He said it was a "crazy waste of resources" to issue the fines "before realising something wasn't right".
He added: "Anyone stood on Vicar Lane for 10 minutes could see the problem. This is real life, not Sim City."
A Leeds City Council spokesperson said it was working on plans to "enhance the legibility of the new city centre restrictions with improved signage, advance warnings and to raise levels of public awareness with an accompanying promotion campaign".
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