Coventry bus gate is 'affecting local shops' as council plans to make it permanent

Hales Street in Coventry City Centre will be covered by the new bus gate
-Credit: (Image: Coventry City Council)


A business owner has claimed a new Coventry bus gate is affecting footfall and adding to pressure on local shops. Problems with incorrect fines have also been "damaging" for the business, they said in papers for a meeting.

But council officers have said the bus lane at Hales Street should be made permanent. A senior councillor will make a decision on whether the measure should stay at a council meeting next week, 18 September.

The restriction brought in last year only allows buses, bicycles, hackney carriages and cars with permits to access the road from 10am-6pm Mondays to Fridays. It made headlines in January after the council raked in £500,000 from 25,000 fines just six months.

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Council officers say the lane has helped reduce traffic problems in the area and made local buses around a minute faster. But a business owner objected to the measure in January over its effect on local outlets.

How a new bus gate in Hales Street will affect traffic in Coventry
How a new bus gate in Hales Street will affect traffic in Coventry -Credit:Coventry City Council

Their email, summarised in council meeting papers, claimed that despite using permits delivery vehicles recieved "countless bus lane fines." All were overturned at appeal but the process took the unnamed proprietor "way too much time," they wrote.

It also led to companies refusing to deliver goods to the premises, they claimed, adding: "This is extremely damaging to our business." The business owner also said customers want to be able to park near shops to avoid walking a long way with heavy bags.

"Since the introduction of the scheme, businesses on Trinity Street have noticed reduced footfall," they told the council. "As you very well know, high street retail outlets have
already been under pressure for some time now and this
measure is only adding to it."

Other businesses also contacted the council about problems with incorrect fines, the report revealed. Most of the issues were about incorrect fines which caused "frustration" for some proprietors, it said.

Issues have been "resolved" - council

Council officers responding to the objection said the problems had been solved. They admitted there had been "technical issues" with permits in the beginning.

But they claimed work had been done on finding out why incorrect fines were issued and taking action to prevent this. Businesses now have a "grace period" and people have more admin support for getting permits, they said.

Officers said in the report that the bus gate was brought in to tackle problems at the Burges. This area, accessed by drivers via Hales and Trinity Streets, was suffering antisocial behaviour and traffic jams.

A "strategic review" in January 2023 concluded that an extra bus gate would help tackle congestion and make it a nicer place for people not driving. The scheme is now having the "desired effect" as private cars mostly do not use the area, officers claimed.

It has also "significantly improved bus journey times" the report claimed. Journey times show buses between Pool Meadow and the Belgrade Theatre are around a minute faster than they were last year and quicker when the bus gate is operating.

Making the bus lane permanent will cost around £10,000 and be funded from a regional grant. Money from fines will go towards offsetting enforcement costs and any above this will go only on transport, the report stated.

The bus gate is monitored by a camera and drivers breaking the rules face a £70 fine, which can be higher or lower depending on when it is paid. The council's Cabinet Member for City Services, Cllr Patricia Hetherton (Lab), will make the decision on whether to keep the bus lane at next week's meeting.

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