CCTV cameras are due to begin operating in Leicester’s Belgrave Gate to tackle motorists who illegally park in a bus stop.
The bus stop clearway, on Belgrave Gate near the Haymarket Bus Station, is part of the recently-introduced, free, electric city centre Hop! circular bus route, which carries around 1,000 people a day around the city centre.
However, the clearway is frequently used by people stopping to load or unload or for parking which causes congestion and slows down the Hop! service’s journey times.
CCTV cameras, new lines and signs are being installed over the coming week, and are due to come into effect from Monday, September 4. For the first two weeks, drivers caught using the bus stop clearway will receive warning notices.
Enforcement will begin for real on Monday, September 18, from which time penalty charge notices for £70 will be issued.
At the same time, civil enforcement officers working for the city council will step up enforcement of the loading only bay immediately opposite the bus stop, which again is often used for free parking, blocking the route to other traffic.
In all the work is costing around £25,000 for the CCTV installation and five-year operating contract, which is funded by the Transforming Cities Fund (TCF).
The city council launched the free Hop! service on an 18-month trial basis as one of its Leicester Buses Partnership commitments. The Leicester Buses Partnership was launched in April 2022 to bring together all the local bus operators and Leicester City Council, to work jointly on addressing both the city’s transport needs and its environmental responsibilities.
Leicester deputy city mayor for climate, economy and culture, Cllr Adam Clarke, said: “The Hop! service has proved to be one of the success stories resulting from the Leicester Buses Partnership, providing a free, convenient way for people to travel around the city centre.
“People need to know the buses will run on time and can be relied upon, but keeping the bus clearways and bus stops free of other traffic is key to achieving that. Keeping the bus clearway free also means the Hop! buses are able to pull up to the kerb, which is important for passengers with mobility issues.
“We already use camera enforcement to keep the bus clearway outside Leicester Station free of traffic, and are now extending that to the Hop! route stop in Belgrave Gate.
“For the first two weeks we’ll be warning drivers to ensure they know about the new regulations, before we start issuing penalty charge notices.”
Three zero-emission green Hop! buses – each of which features a distinctive frog “ribbit” effect bell – seat 21 passengers and operate every 10 minutes on an anti-clockwise loop, with 12 stops along the route.
Running from 8am-6pm from Monday to Saturday, the new buses are fitted with electronic information displays, next stop announcements, WiFi and USB charging at each seat, with each of the stops offering real-time information displays and text-to-speech facilities.
More information can be found on the Leicester Buses website: www.leicesterbuses.co.uk
