By Ben Stevens
CRISS-CROSS: The yellow box junction causing problems at the junction of Abbey Street and Gravel Street (Credit: Google Earth)
A public consultation has been launched by Leicester City Council over plans to introduce potential new enforcement powers to improve road and transport infrastructure in the city.
The survey centres around the proposed idea of the council applying to the Department of Transport for permission to use camera technology within the bounds of legislation that allows councils across the country to handle moving traffic offences.
It is proposed that camera enforcement will be installed at three sites within the area of St Margaret’s Bus Station.
Elise Price, 27, who works at the nearby Haymarket shopping centre, said: “I think it’s a good idea that the council are trying to improve the traffic situation in the city.
“It can get very busy in that area, especially during the rush hour, so something needs to be done about it.
“I’m not entirely sure whether the threat of cameras will prompt people to drive better. We will just have to wait and see.”
The council plans to install traffic monitoring cameras at the junction of Abbey and Gravel Street, the junction of Vaughan Way and Causeway Lane and the merge on Vaughan Way from Southgates Underpass.
Leicester City Council argues that the main reason for the need for cameras is the frequency of motorists illegally entering the yellow box junctions, thus causing traffic to grind to a halt and therefore blocking bus and emergency vehicle services.
Local resident Jon Mason, 41, doesn’t think the plans will work. He said: “I think the cameras will just scare people into doing more things wrong, which could perhaps cause accidents.
“The problem is with the design of the junctions, so I don’t know whether adding cameras will make much of a difference.”
The consultation opened at the end of October and will run through to December 9.
To have your say and to find more information, visit: https://consultations.leicester.gov.uk/comms/mte/
