Coventry bus gate branded 'cash cow' as feature set to be made permanent
Coventry Live readers are not surprised to hear that local businesses have slammed the new city centre bus gate, claiming it's slashing customer numbers and hitting firms in the pocket. The business community has voiced their concerns ahead of an upcoming meeting, distressed by not only reduced footfall, but also by "damaging" mis-issued fines. Readers and residents have been sharing their views in our comments section.
Despite the issues raised, council staff are backing the permanency of the Hales Street measure. They argue it is easing congestion and speeding up bus services by over a minute.
The bus gate was established last year, allowing only buses, bicycles, hackneys, and authorised vehicles to pass from 10am to 6pm, Monday through Friday. Reports from January highlighted that £500,000 had been collected from 25,000 fines in just six months.
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Traders have citied countless penalty charges for delivery vans, even with permits, which has led to delivery companies blacklisting certain addresses for fear of fines. They've underscored the need for easy parking access for customers who struggle with carrying heavy shopping over extended distances.
In response, Council officials have dismissed these issues, claiming resolution of any initial hiccups related to permits. They've acknowledged some early "technical issues" and say that the money collected through fines will be used exclusively for transport.
But Coventry live readers slammed the feature. Commenter Nicfontain says: "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 in just six months. That's a contravention around every 150 seconds, contravention rates at that level in a small city like Coventry are ridiculous.
"The bus gate serves no real useful purpose. The solution suggested by the Council is a sledgehammer to crack a nut and one that penalises innocent motorists. The issue is cars parking in the Burges, when cars are parked and a bus is at a stop nothing can get past which causes very large tailbacks of traffic and means buses cannot get through. A more reasonable solution would be to designate The Burgess a Red Route and use CCTV to issue PCNs to vehicles that stop on it.”
Covsynic thinks: “Can’t see how this affects the shops! There’s no car park in the bus gate area?” Rufusc replies: “Well that's kind of the point. By not allowing normal cars to park temporarily or drop people off/pick people up, the shops are suffering.”
Nicfontain adds: “A bus gate on Hales Street means that traffic (other than buses, taxis and other 'authorised vehicles') can no longer reach Trinity Street, Ironmonger Row, Palmer Lane and The Burgess - these are places where shoppers are dropped off by motorists. The proliferation of 'bus gates' around the city centre are making the city centre less attractive as a retail destination, just at the time when it needs as much footfall as possible. The Council is like a failing business with undesirable products that responds to a shortfall in income by increasing prices rather than introducing products that its customers actually want. The failing business goes to the wall, the Council puts up the Council Tax!”
Bernie S points out: “If anyone thinks the Council will get rid of this cash cow they are deluded! They need the cash.” Hippy agrees: “Of course, they are going to keep it, it's a cash cow. I am disabled and used to be dropped off at the back of Primark but now I can't. Therefore I can't get into town unless I am dropped off at the lower precinct, but then I can't walk that far up to Broadgate. I am not alone on this, but in my opinion, the Council does not care about disabled people.”
Notonetocomplain says: “The only vehicles that used to park on the Burges were Uber drivers or people getting their haircut and it caused chaos for buses and other traffic trying to get through. Those with disabled badges can still park in Trinity Street and the Burges; they just have to register on the council website.”
TomMac jokes: “City Centre in Coventry? Is it still there then? I thought the Council abandoned it?” Ijg agrees: “No cars, no people, no shops, no life. Remember the days when it was buzzing? All destroyed and gone now.”
Rufusc is frustrated: “So they made over half a million from fines on just this little stretch of road, but also blew 700k on the former IKEA building and are now trying to avoid bankruptcy by turning street lights off after 12am / 1am!” Manfredcov agrees: “Just look around Coventry. It’s not hard to see the Council doesn’t get much right.”
How do you feel about the bus gate? Is it a good way of improving traffic flow or is it just a money spinner? Have your say in our comments section.