Drivers face £60 fine for shortcut

DRIVERS are being warned they will soon be fined if they use a shortcut at Bournemouth’s Travel Interchange.

The council announced last year that it would be installing two cameras at Coach House Place. They are now in situ and, as of Monday, motorists who use the taxi and bus route into the station will face a £60 fine.

Cllr Michael Filer, the council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “Coach House Place is retained for taxi and bus traffic only.

“The majority of motorists follow the current signage and take the correct routes, however others are flouting the regulations and causing a road safety issue, as well as congestion problems for our public transport operators.

“As of next week we will be issuing Penalty Charge Notices and I would urge all motorists to do what 99.9 per cent already do and to use the correct routes and not Coach House Place,” Cllr Filer added.

Signs will be in place advising motorists that they are being observed by a CCTV camera and failure to comply with the traffic regulation will result in a Penalty Charge Notice.

Comments(34)

pete woodley says...
4:27pm Fri 11 Jan 13

Another money grabber.

Redgolfer says...
4:32pm Fri 11 Jan 13

Pete, if Motorist OBEY road traffic instructions as they should, will not get fined, SIMPLE as THAT.

pete woodley says...
4:33pm Fri 11 Jan 13

Another money grabber.

andyjb10 says...
4:56pm Fri 11 Jan 13

pete woodley wrote:
Another money grabber.
Don't drive down there and it won't cost you a penny.

If you think its ok for you to do so then you deserve every fine you get.

aerolover says...
4:58pm Fri 11 Jan 13

I still can't see why motorist can't use this road, it saves petrol by not having to go to the Lansdowne area to get onto Lansdowne road. Perhaps I can see buses only but why buses and TAXIS, the taxi is a car and one where people pay to use it. As. Motorist I pay road fund tax, petrol tax, insurance tax and my time is just a valuable as public transport users.
Why does councillor Filer say it is a safety thing? Many people find getting out of Asda hard with all the traffic and some use the other exit near the station to go under the motorway using
Coach house place as a way to get onto Lansdowne road.
I for one see this not as a problem but as a solution but our council don't want private drivers in town and see this as a way of making more money from the motorist.
I wonder if this is legal or is it another scheme they haven't legal done the correct way like the parking metres.

Jetwasher says...
5:02pm Fri 11 Jan 13

Robbing B stards

Peggy Babcock says...
5:20pm Fri 11 Jan 13

Short sighted council should think about the benefits of actually allowing cars to access the station this way. The St. Paul's roundabout and area is a quagmire of traffic and dangerous to cars leaving the station area.

contric says...
6:07pm Fri 11 Jan 13

for once i completely agree with pete woodley all this is in my opinion is money grabbing and to red golfer i would say as soon as you get in a car you break some law or another cars in my opinion should be allowed to use bus lanes and only fined if they hold up the progress of a bus strange to me holdenhurst rd christchurch rd castle lane gridlocked sometimes and a third of the road is taken up with an empty bus lane

Hobad1 says...
6:07pm Fri 11 Jan 13

andyjb10 wrote:
pete woodley wrote:
Another money grabber.
Don't drive down there and it won't cost you a penny.

If you think its ok for you to do so then you deserve every fine you get.
I totally agree with Pete. B'mth are suffering a lack of income from parking due to their incompetence, and are now looking to fleece the motorist another way. Soon they'll be putting double yellow lines in petrol stations, so when you fill up your car you'll get a parking ticket at the same time.

retry69 says...
6:26pm Fri 11 Jan 13

Poor old motorists being victimised again, deary me and by Bournemouth Council yet again.Perhaps we will move fingers crossed everyone

sollie says...
6:58pm Fri 11 Jan 13

Another case of the council making their own rules and using the excuse of "safety" to fleece the motorist of another stealth tax.

What are the specific risks here and what steps have been taken to mitigate them? I challenge the council to reveal the financial benefit they anticipate from this and if any alternatives were considered.

Jetwasher says...
7:32pm Fri 11 Jan 13

How do they know its 99.9 percent ? where did they get that from, off the back of a bleach bottle ?

corozin says...
8:05pm Fri 11 Jan 13

We're in a time of austerity, money is tight.

And yet Bournemouth Council manage to find thousands of pounds to install CCTV to fish for a problem that doesn't even exist.

It's just another case of finding ways to hose hard earned taxpayers money up the bloody wall. At the same time these morons are switching off street lights up and down the county because they plead they don't have the money to keep them on.

pete woodley says...
8:17pm Fri 11 Jan 13

corozin wrote:
We're in a time of austerity, money is tight.

And yet Bournemouth Council manage to find thousands of pounds to install CCTV to fish for a problem that doesn't even exist.

It's just another case of finding ways to hose hard earned taxpayers money up the bloody wall. At the same time these morons are switching off street lights up and down the county because they plead they don't have the money to keep them on.
To be honest ,i have never seen anyone use it as a shortcut.

uvox44 says...
8:22pm Fri 11 Jan 13

quick someone wake rayc up - time to fire up the hobbyhorse!

muscliffman says...
8:24pm Fri 11 Jan 13

sollie wrote:
Another case of the council making their own rules and using the excuse of "safety" to fleece the motorist of another stealth tax.

What are the specific risks here and what steps have been taken to mitigate them? I challenge the council to reveal the financial benefit they anticipate from this and if any alternatives were considered.
Of course 'safety' is doubtless one of the explanations suggested on the 'learner' pages of the handbook for local authority money grabbing excuses. Surprised they could not have been a bit more inventive here........err no, perhaps not!

However the use of this publicly funded road is mostly by private commercial businesses pursuing profit. So how much do they pay the Council for their use of this piece of exclusive highway - or maybe it is just easier to hit the occasional errant motorist.

malky53 says...
8:24pm Fri 11 Jan 13

corozin wrote:
We're in a time of austerity, money is tight.

And yet Bournemouth Council manage to find thousands of pounds to install CCTV to fish for a problem that doesn't even exist.

It's just another case of finding ways to hose hard earned taxpayers money up the bloody wall. At the same time these morons are switching off street lights up and down the county because they plead they don't have the money to keep them on.
if your right there will be no income and the cameras might get redeployed

if you are wrong in three weeks the Echo will be full of people moaning about the fines

Derf says...
8:27pm Fri 11 Jan 13

Just a thought, but since when do the council prosecute motoring offences?

How's this for a scenario; you get stopped by the police for driving down there, the officer points out you've commited the offence of not complying with a trafic sign and could get a ticket for it. The officer then decides to use discretion and just gives you a waggy finger and a few words. The offence has then been dealt with and appropriately disposed of. 2 weeks later you get a fine from the council for the same offence.

does that not mean there is a possibility for being tried and punished for the same offence twice?

wokboy60 says...
9:13pm Fri 11 Jan 13

Excellent post from Derf and very well spotted!

paul.p says...
9:25pm Fri 11 Jan 13

D@mn place is full of Taxi's anyway...

Vicvic says...
9:11am Sat 12 Jan 13

Don't break a simple rule and you won't get a fine .......... Not a hard concept to grasp. Monkey stick hand in fire.............. I mean duh !

step up says...
9:40am Sat 12 Jan 13

corozin wrote:
We're in a time of austerity, money is tight.

And yet Bournemouth Council manage to find thousands of pounds to install CCTV to fish for a problem that doesn't even exist.

It's just another case of finding ways to hose hard earned taxpayers money up the bloody wall. At the same time these morons are switching off street lights up and down the county because they plead they don't have the money to keep them on.
Exactly. More wasted council tax. Never mind there is always adult social care budget to squeeze when money tight.

ragj195 says...
10:09am Sat 12 Jan 13

Vicvic wrote:
Don't break a simple rule and you won't get a fine .......... Not a hard concept to grasp. Monkey stick hand in fire.............. I mean duh !
Are you too dumb to ever question rules and whether they should exist? If the speed limit on the Wessex Way was reduced to 30 would you say the same thing? You probably would.

Arjay says...
10:38am Sat 12 Jan 13

Can't see why there are so many complaints? You can drive down there if you wish.

The fee is £60.......

And you do know that before you take the route.
It's your choice?.......

Ashley Miller says...
2:08pm Sat 12 Jan 13

Since Coach House place was opened up to cyclists & the Bournemouth Taxi Trade (not Christchurch, Poole or elsewhere) nearly ten years ago, it appears that a small percentage of non licensed vehicle owners have taken it upon themselves to ignore the signs & road markings.
This has lead on many occasions to these motorists turning in from Lansdowne Road, through Coach House Place & turning left into the train station or coach interchange which are both operate a one way system (Holdenhurst Road to Coach House Place).
Each day there are problems caused by these inconsiderate drivers to the bus & coach drivers, Asda delivery drivers & members of the Taxi Trade.
I read in amazement some of the comments on here & it is pretty clear to me that some people think that the Council have put the twin cameras in place to bolster the Council coffers!
After nearly four years of getting the appropriate legislation in place, the Council have tied up the lose ends & have now advertised at the exit & entrance to Coach House Place their intention so there will be no comeback on any motorists who ignore the signs.
For the person who commented why Taxi drivers are allowed to use the Bus Lane through Coach House Place the answer is pretty clear, as a Licensed Passenger Carrying Vehicle, in law, the local Licensing Authority can deem that Buses & Taxis are exactly the same & so have the same rights to access Bus Lanes
Many might want to argue the point but just look back to your 1976 Miscellaneous Provisions Act & you will read it quite clearly in black & white.

skydriver says...
2:33pm Sat 12 Jan 13

All that said if the mayor's, car with him/ her inside that would be ok......!!!! Emmmmm I rest my case, different sets of rule may well apply.....

pete woodley says...
2:53pm Sat 12 Jan 13

Ashley, i agree with the points you raise,but the fact is there are many places where cameras could be sited to relieve congestion etc but it is still a easy way for the council to grab money.I do not condone those who break the rules,but this council really loves to have a go at motorists.

Vicvic says...
6:15pm Sat 12 Jan 13

ragj195 wrote:
Vicvic wrote:
Don't break a simple rule and you won't get a fine .......... Not a hard concept to grasp. Monkey stick hand in fire.............. I mean duh !
Are you too dumb to ever question rules and whether they should exist? If the speed limit on the Wessex Way was reduced to 30 would you say the same thing? You probably would.
No I'm not " dumb " and yes I do question rules I just happen to think this a good one. Sorry if you don't agree but there really is no reason to make yourself look like you have no manners by calling someone you don't know " dumb "

pete woodley says...
6:24pm Sat 12 Jan 13

Vicvic wrote:
ragj195 wrote:
Vicvic wrote:
Don't break a simple rule and you won't get a fine .......... Not a hard concept to grasp. Monkey stick hand in fire.............. I mean duh !
Are you too dumb to ever question rules and whether they should exist? If the speed limit on the Wessex Way was reduced to 30 would you say the same thing? You probably would.
No I'm not " dumb " and yes I do question rules I just happen to think this a good one. Sorry if you don't agree but there really is no reason to make yourself look like you have no manners by calling someone you don't know " dumb "
Were you not being sarcastic in the first place.

ljw1414 says...
9:13pm Sat 12 Jan 13

aerolover wrote:
I still can't see why motorist can't use this road, it saves petrol by not having to go to the Lansdowne area to get onto Lansdowne road. Perhaps I can see buses only but why buses and TAXIS, the taxi is a car and one where people pay to use it. As. Motorist I pay road fund tax, petrol tax, insurance tax and my time is just a valuable as public transport users.
Why does councillor Filer say it is a safety thing? Many people find getting out of Asda hard with all the traffic and some use the other exit near the station to go under the motorway using
Coach house place as a way to get onto Lansdowne road.
I for one see this not as a problem but as a solution but our council don't want private drivers in town and see this as a way of making more money from the motorist.
I wonder if this is legal or is it another scheme they haven't legal done the correct way like the parking metres.
Well said ....

The Timelord says...
9:33pm Sat 12 Jan 13

For anyone using Lansdowne Road the lights at the Coach House Place are set such that ANY vehicle including cyclists coming up to the lights automatically get priority and the lights change in their favour holding up all the traffic on the second identified main West-East corridor in the Bournemouth Transport Plan (The others being Bournemouth Road/Poole Road and Castle Lane).
Hence every time a single bus/taxi/cyclist uses that stretch of road to Lansdowne Road the lights change and a major arterial route is compromised for the sake of, in the case of buses and taxis, profiteering businesses at the expense of every one else. Therefore we have a bus and taxi priority scheme to nowhere because there is no bus lane for them to use at this point in Lansdowne Road and thus no advantage gained, especially with the bus stop immediately after the junction heading towards Cemetery Junction where the road is clogged yet again.
Another ill thought out plan for a travel interchange that doesn't even feed a bus station in the town centre.....

EGHH says...
6:37am Sun 13 Jan 13

DVLA have banned many councils from using their vehicle database for identifying drivers due to data protection violations. Pity Bournemouth and Poole weren't two them!

Vicvic says...
9:01am Sun 13 Jan 13

Vicvic wrote:
ragj195 wrote:
Vicvic wrote:
Don't break a simple rule and you won't get a fine .......... Not a hard concept to grasp. Monkey stick hand in fire.............. I mean duh !
Are you too dumb to ever question rules and whether they should exist? If the speed limit on the Wessex Way was reduced to 30 would you say the same thing? You probably would.
No I'm not " dumb " and yes I do question rules I just happen to think this a good one. Sorry if you don't agree but there really is no reason to make yourself look like you have no manners by calling someone you don't know " dumb "
No

ragj195 says...
2:34pm Mon 14 Jan 13

Vicvic wrote:
Vicvic wrote:
ragj195 wrote:
Vicvic wrote:
Don't break a simple rule and you won't get a fine .......... Not a hard concept to grasp. Monkey stick hand in fire.............. I mean duh !
Are you too dumb to ever question rules and whether they should exist? If the speed limit on the Wessex Way was reduced to 30 would you say the same thing? You probably would.
No I'm not " dumb " and yes I do question rules I just happen to think this a good one. Sorry if you don't agree but there really is no reason to make yourself look like you have no manners by calling someone you don't know " dumb "
No
You must see the definition of "duh" differently to me then.

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