Drivers face fines of up to £70 as new bus lane cameras go live in Sunderland

New bus lane cameras are live in Sunderland with drivers facing fines of up to £70.

Cameras are in operation at the bus gate - the 'bus only' section of Holmeside in the city centre.

The cameras were turned on at midnight on Monday 18 March, but there is a two-week grace period where vehicle owners spotted breaking regulations will receive a warning notice.

After the grace period ends, anyone driving through the bus gate could be fined £70 - which would be reduced to £35 is paid within 21 days.

The cameras are the third bus lane enforcement cameras to be used by the city council, following the introduction of restrictions at Dene Street in Silksworth and Brancepeth Road in Washington in July last year.

Since they went live, 1,934 warnings and penalty charge notices (PCNs) have been issued from the camera at Silksworth and 1,496 warnings and PCNs have been issued from the camera in Washington.

Buses now have priority along Holmeside through to Vine Place with a system turning traffic from Holmeside onto Maritime Street, and a new road link created through the site of the former Peacock’s store on to Brougham Street next to The Bridges shopping centre.

Maritime Street, Brougham Street and Waterloo Place are now one-way traffic.

Sunderland City Council has said income generated by traffic enforcement PCNs from cameras can only be used for further works on highways, public transport and environmental projects.

As with parking restrictions, if a driver has received a penalty notice and disagrees with it, an appeals process is in place. Full details are included on notices issued to vehicle owners.

The new enforcement does not cover speeding offences monitored by cameras which remain with Northumbria Police and the Northumbria Safer Roads Initiative (NSRI).

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