Discussion
Can someone please tell me about 'bus-gates'?
I was in the UK last November and just a week ago I was charged for going through one in Harrow. (In rented car)
I can't find out much from the (new) Highway Code or really much online. I was expecting the usual width restriction set up on the road after seeing the signs. More annoyed with myself for not working it out on the approach.
Thanks.
I was in the UK last November and just a week ago I was charged for going through one in Harrow. (In rented car)
I can't find out much from the (new) Highway Code or really much online. I was expecting the usual width restriction set up on the road after seeing the signs. More annoyed with myself for not working it out on the approach.
Thanks.
They're intended to reduce traffic through some parts of cities.
I got caught in one in Bath quite a few years back as I couldn't find a way from one side of the bus gate to the other without going through the bus gate, and I was in a rush to pick up some tickets and get to a rugby game. I saw the signs but decided to chance my luck, not realising they had cameras.
Fine was IIRC about £120 reduced to £60 for paying within 7 days.
I got caught in one in Bath quite a few years back as I couldn't find a way from one side of the bus gate to the other without going through the bus gate, and I was in a rush to pick up some tickets and get to a rugby game. I saw the signs but decided to chance my luck, not realising they had cameras.
Fine was IIRC about £120 reduced to £60 for paying within 7 days.
There's one not too far from me that used to have a raising bollard... The road was previously the only way through a village, until a relief road was put in (hence the bus gate to stop through traffic), so GPS would tell you to drive through it.
Fortunately the raising bollard prevented anyone driving through so no fines were issued. Then someone at the council had the bollard deactivated and a camera installed to issue fines... Lots of fines!
I've never made the mistake myself but clearly a lot of people do.
Fortunately the raising bollard prevented anyone driving through so no fines were issued. Then someone at the council had the bollard deactivated and a camera installed to issue fines... Lots of fines!
I've never made the mistake myself but clearly a lot of people do.
Unfortunately they are just there to raise revenue from fines. The one in the photo posted earlier is a great example. A blue circle with a bus means buses must travel through it, a red and white "no entry except buses" sign would be far easier for most motorists to understand - but then the wouldn't raise as much revenue.
livinginasia said:
Unfortunately they are just there to raise revenue from fines. The one in the photo posted earlier is a great example. A blue circle with a bus means buses must travel through it, a red and white "no entry except buses" sign would be far easier for most motorists to understand - but then the wouldn't raise as much revenue.
I'd really like to see some kind of legal action against councils that don't understand road signs and happily put up misleading ones, but expect us to interpret them as they intend.
livinginasia said:
Unfortunately they are just there to raise revenue from fines. The one in the photo posted earlier is a great example. A blue circle with a bus means buses must travel through it, a red and white "no entry except buses" sign would be far easier for most motorists to understand - but then the wouldn't raise as much revenue.
Agree. A NO ENTRY sign with an except buses and cyclists. Car drivers can easily recognise a no entry sign, bus drivers would have that explained as it would be part of their route, and cyclists are going slow enough to read it (plus cyclists don’t usually give a hoot and can’t be traced).livinginasia said:
A blue circle with a bus means buses must travel through it, a red and white "no entry except buses" sign would be far easier for most motorists to understand - but then the wouldn't raise as much revenue.
Not quite, the blue sign means buses and cycles only. It should be as recognisable as a No Entry to any driver.Time for some people to brush up on their understanding of the highway code. Let me make it easier for you: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/governmen...
Page 9.
Page 9.
I'm aware that the highway code tells us that a blue disc with a bus and cycle means buses and bicycles only. However, it remains somewhat inconsistent with "signs with blue circles but no red border mostly give positive instruction".
We seem to be relying heavily and unnecessarily on the 'mostly' especially in busy traffic where people have to make quick decisions. It makes a lot more sense to follow a practice of "all vehicles forbidden apart from..." Unless, of course, the whole intention is to mislead?
We seem to be relying heavily and unnecessarily on the 'mostly' especially in busy traffic where people have to make quick decisions. It makes a lot more sense to follow a practice of "all vehicles forbidden apart from..." Unless, of course, the whole intention is to mislead?
Forums | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff