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CABINET MEMBER FOR TRANSPORT – 6 OCTOBER 2006

CAMERA ENFORCEMENT – OXFORD CITY CENTRE BUS GATES

Report by Head of Transport

1. This report consolidates the two reports advertised in the Forward Plan covering this single issue.
2. "Bus gate" access restriction points were introduced in a number of City centre locations in June 1999 as a key part of the Oxford Transport Strategy. The bus gates enabled the creation of a bus priority route, which helped to deliver the pedestrianisation of Cornmarket Street whilst maintaining freedom of bus access and circulation around the City centre. This ensured that the bus has remained the main choice of travel into central Oxford and City centre congestion has been kept largely at bay. However, abuse of the bus gate restrictions has continued to rise over the years, undermining the integrity of the bus priority route, introducing delay and unreliability into bus services and threatening their role in Oxford’s transport strategy.
3. The Transport Act 2000 introduced the principle of camera enforcement of bus gate restrictions and bus lanes. In October 2002 the County Council’s Executive endorsed the intention to use these powers when they became available. Finally, in November 2005, Statutory Instruments (SI) nos. 2755, 2756, 2757 and 2758 were published to allow local authorities to use CCTV cameras to enforce bus lane traffic orders. Oxfordshire County Council is permitted to use these powers within Oxford where there is an existing Special Parking Area (SPA).
4. Before such enforcement can be carried out it is necessary to amend the Oxfordshire County Council (City of Oxford) (Central Area) (Traffic Management) (Consolidation) Order 2003 (TMO). This report reviews the comments received on the formal consultation to amend the TMO and recommends proceeding with the amendments.
5. The Cabinet Member for Transport is recommended to approve the use of the Statutory Instruments to allow camera enforcement of the City centre bus gates and is also asked to set the level of penalty charge for contraventions of the amended bus lane traffic orders for these access restrictions.

Bus Gate Locations for Camera Enforcement

6. The locations of the existing City centre bus gates are on the High Street (at University College), Castle Street (at its junction with Norfolk Street), George Street (east of Gloucester Street) and Magdalen Street East. Placing cameras at these points would enable the enforcement of the restrictions on type of vehicle and at time periods as set out in existing Traffic Management Order, introduced in June 1999.
7. The bus gates are currently signed as roads that restrict motor traffic but with exemptions for buses and other vehicles to varying degrees. In order for them to be enforceable by cameras it is necessary to change their status to that of a bus lane. This does not affect the signing of the restriction but does require the change to the TMO.
8. Although the powers within the Statutory Instruments allow for camera enforcement of radial route bus lanes within Oxford, there are currently no firm plans to introduce this and any consideration of further use of cameras will need to follow an evaluation of the effectiveness of using this technology to enforce traffic regulation orders.

Traffic Management Order Consultation

9. The proposed amendments to the TMO were formally advertised from 30 June to 28 July 2006. The consultation consisted of a notice in the Oxford Times, street notices erected on the affected sections of road and letters to standard consultees. Three letters of comment were received and these are summarised at Annex 1 (download as .doc file) along with officer comments. Two of the responses support the proposal and one objects. Copies have been placed in the Members’ Resource Centre.
10. The letter of objection is based on the fact that no provision is being made for motorcycles to access through restriction points. The suggestion that motor cycles be permitted to use these bus lanes is not considered appropriate as the restrictions are located at entry points to the City centre and have been designed to prevent general traffic from using it as a through route. When/if camera enforcement is extended to the bus lanes on the radial routes a policy review will be required to determine whether or not motorcycles should be permitted to use them.

Penalty Charge for Contraventions of the City Centre Bus Gate Access Restrictions

11. The penalty charge is proposed to be set at a level of £60 with £30 reduction for early payment (within 2 weeks). This level should assist in reducing the degree of contravention of the restrictions and matches the fine being operated by other authorities – notably Reading. The charge must be approved by the Secretary of State (via the Department for Transport). Subject to approval a notice must then be prepared and advertised in accordance with the regulations.

Designation of a Proper Officer and Adjudication Process

12. Local authorities using the bus lane enforcement regulations are required to designate a ‘Proper Officer’ to ensure that the enforcement process is carried out in accordance with the Regulations. This officer is the Director for Environment & Economy, with the Head of Transport acting as his deputy.
13. All local authorities with SPA status have to provide for an adjudication process. This is currently done with a joint committee of those authorities employing independent adjudicators. This has been operating as the National Parking Adjudication Service (NPAS). It has been agreed amongst participating local authorities, including Oxfordshire, to set up a new joint committee to adjudicate over both parking penalty charges and bus lane contraventions. The details of this proposal and a new name for the service have been put forward to the Lord Chancellor’s department for approval.

How the Project Supports LTP2 Objectives

14. The use of cameras will significantly improve the effectiveness of the enforcement of the City centre bus gates. This should lead to a reduction in the volume of general traffic circulating around the bus priority route thereby improving the reliability and smooth running of bus services. In turn this should promote greater bus use and lower operating costs keeping fare levels down and providing a more effective choice for the travelling public.
15. Lower levels of car traffic and smoother bus journeys in the City centre should also contribute to reducing pollution levels in the Air Quality Management Area and may bring road safety benefits. A further shift towards bus use for travel to Oxford City centre should help tackle congestion on the radial roads and improve accessibility. It should also reduce pressure to accommodate car traffic and parking in the City centre as growth in the economic and retail sectors through the expansion of the Westgate shopping centre and the urban renaissance in the West End come forward.
16. Although the proposals do not require any changes to the current signage officers have approached the Department for Transport (DfT) for authority to erect smaller signs at each of the sites. If approval is granted this will assist in reducing the overall clutter created by signage and improving the street environment. Authority is also being sought for the signs to be reflective rather than illuminated. Officers are also reviewing the existing signs on the approaches to the central area to ensure they convey clear and accurate information relating to the bus gate restriction points.

Financial and Staff Implications

17. The Transport Capital Programme includes a budget of £254,000 for the implementation of bus gate camera enforcement. The costs of the change to the TMO and the provision of new signs (subject to DfT approval) are estimated at £8,000, which can be met from the scheme budget whilst staff costs associated with the installation of the equipment will be met from within existing Oxfordshire Highways resources.
18. The ongoing enforcement will be managed under contract alongside other parking enforcement tasks, currently carried out on behalf of Oxfordshire County Council, by Central Parking Services (Control Plus). It is estimated that this will cost upwards of £150,000 p.a. depending on the level of enforcement employed.
19. The objective of introducing camera enforcement and a penalty charge for contravention of the City centre bus gates is to significantly reduce the level of general traffic abuse of these restrictions in order to improve bus reliability and movements into and around the central area. Whilst it is expected that a degree of non-compliance will remain, and therefore a level of fine income will be generated, effective enforcement should see a decline in contravention over time. It is however, anticipated that fine income will be sufficient to cover enforcement costs in the long term.
    
    (Statement of Decision)
    

RECOMMENDATIONS

20. The Cabinet Member for Transport is RECOMMENDED to:

STEVE HOWELL
Head of Transport

Background papers: Consultation documentation

Contact Officers:
Alex Coley, Transport Planner Tel: 01865 810409
Craig Rossington, Senior Transport Planner Tel: 01865 815575
John Cramer, Principal Engineer Tel: 01865 815963

September 2006

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