Drivers could be fined £120 (£60 if you pay up quickly) under new plans to install roadside cameras catching cars that drove, even for a brief moment, into a cycle lane.
The plans give local authorities the power to install more roadside cameras to capture drivers who erroneously stray into the lanes; although some existing cameras may be used for the job.
The powers have been proposed for London authorities first, and then the plans could be rolled out nationally.
Transport for London (TfL) thinks that issuing penalties to drivers who appear to be ignoring the designated lanes will promote a safer image for cycling in central London.
The police have already got the power to issue fines for the offence, but only three were issued for the year ending at the close of June. TfL are proposing to decriminalise the offence and make it legal for civilians to monitor the cameras and issue the fines by post.
The new powers are expected to be included in a London local authorities Bill in November. The body that represents London’s 33 boroughs, London Councils, is supporting the bill.
London Councils director of transport, Nick Lester, commented: “This will bring enforcement to an area where there isn’t any enforcement at the moment. Keeping drivers out of cycle lanes will encourage more people to cycle because there will be a greater perception that it is safe to do so.”
Lester also commented that cycle boxes in front of cars at traffic lights were there to make cyclists more visible to drivers, as a large number of cyclist deaths are due to drivers not being able to see them while turning left.
Green transport adviser to Ken Livingstone, Jenny Jones, seethed: “I find it infuriating that the police are not using the powers they have. Far too many motorists ignore the white lanes marking out cycle lanes and they need to be seen to be punished. Better enforcement will give people, particularly women, more confidence that they will be protected if they take up cycling.”
The AA’s head of transport policy, Paul Watters disagrees: “We would accept some surveillance on the busiest cycle routes if there was a thorough review of all lanes and those which are not working were removed. Authorities must exercise discretion because drivers may need to go into cycle lanes briefly to keep traffic moving. In city traffic, a minor misdemeanour has to occur sometimes for common sense reasons.”
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