Below are the enforcement locations for North Yorkshire Police’s mobile safety cameras for week commencing Wednesday 3 April 2014.
Lendal Bridge – camera use suspended?
Claims have been made that the use of the ANPR cameras, to enforce traffic restrictions on Lendal Bridge and Coppergate, has been suspended.
The Council would have had little choice but to do this as, if having received independent advice that their use was unlawful, the Council could have faced maladministration claims from any drivers who received PCNs.
The Council have refused to say whether PCNs have ben issued over the last 2 days using ANPR evidence.
The Council have, however, said that the traffic order has not been revoked and the signage is still visible. That means that a uniformed police officer could, in theory, try to enforce the restrictions.
The traffic adjudicator yesterday also highlighted other flaws in the Councils management of the restrictions, so any PCN would be likely to be rescinded on appeal.
The Council Leader has now belatedly decided to blame Council officials for the fiasco.
He has asked the Chief Executive to undertake an internal review the matter, describing the Councils actions as “not to a standard that I would expect”.
Given that the Chief Executive and Council Leader work hand in hand on a daily basis this particular piece of political camouflage is unlikely to fool anyone.
It is reminiscent of the comments made in Labour party Emails earlier in the year when they sought to distance themselves from the unpopular plans
An all party scrutiny committee should – meeting in public – undertake a proper review of what went wrong on a project that has seen the City being ridiculed across the whole country.
In the meantime the Lendal bridge trial should be suspended. The cameras in Coppergate should be switched off at least until they can be proven to be lawful. Enforcement of restrictions there should once again rest with the police.
Meanwhile the Lib Dem Leader says that the Council has “lost control of events”
Spring clean update
Over 100 bags of litter have now been collected during the first two weeks of the Smarter York Spring Clean campaign to spruce up areas of York.
The campaign, now half way through, has been carried out by volunteer residents together with York and North Yorkshire Probation Trust’s Community Payback team. They have been busy litter picking, planting, weeding, edging and painting and new volunteers are now being sought to continue the great work achieved so far.
Lendal Bridge and Coppergate traffic restrictions – York Council acted unlawfully
Call for resignations at Council
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse for York’s Labour Council it has.
Reports are coming in that the governments independent adjudicator has ruled that fines issued using ANPR cameras on both Lendal Bridge and Coppergate are unenforceable.
The consequences for the Council which has raised around £1 million from fines levied in both locations are likely to be far reaching. Any driver who chooses to appeal against the fine is now likely to have the charge refunded.
In some cases the Adjudicator has the power to order the Council to pay the appellants costs.
In the main, the adjudicator has criticised the signage used to advertise both orders.
He also concludes that Lendal Bridge could not reasonably be regarded as a “bus lane” given the number of exemptions given by the Council.
We have said all along that the Council closed the wrong bridge, in the wrong year and using the wrong method of enforcement.
They compounded their mistakes by failing to consult properly and by relying on inadequate signage.
The Cabinet members with responsibility for the scheme should now resign.
The ANPR cameras should be switched off immediately.
A more measured approach to improving transport systems in York in the future is required.
The full test case adjudication result can be downloaded by clicking here
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