Buses Only Camera Switch-on

The cameras are at the bus only sections of Dene Street, Silksworth, and Brancepeth Road, Washington and 'live' from 0001hrs on Monday 24 July.

There is a two week grace period and vehicle owners observed contravening the regulations receive a warning notice.

Penalty Charge Notices of £70 can be issued from Monday 7 August.

The cameras are the first 'buses only' enforcement cameras to be used by Sunderland City Council under national legislation. Councils across the country have been adopting enforcement powers to issue fines (Penalty Charge Notices) to vehicles that break traffic restrictions, such as driving in bus lanes and through bus gate restrictions.

Footage collected from the ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) cameras will be reviewed by officers to determine whether any contravention has occurred.

Drivers may be issued with a £70 Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) if the council is satisfied a contravention has occurred. The £70 can be discounted to £35 if paid within 21 days or alternatively the driver may appeal against the proposed PCN.

A third camera is due to be installed in Holmeside in Sunderland city centre later this year. This camera will only go live when the wider regeneration scheme is complete.

Both locations have had restrictions for several years - the Traffic Regulation order (TRO) for Silksworth was introduced by the City Council in 2018 and the Washington restriction dates back to 2012.

Deputy Leader of Sunderland City Council and Cabinet Member for Clean Green City, Councillor Claire Rowntree said: "These are already established bus only restrictions in Silksworth and Washington, local drivers and others will be aware of these restrictions and the vast majority of drivers are already following them.

"The cameras are about helping and improving road safety, promoting public transport and helping to ensure that more highways users follow and obey the rules and regulations that are necessary when out on our roads and highways.

"Bus journeys are a more sustainable form of transport and by helping to improve punctuality and journey times, we help make buses a more attractive choice for residents and visitors, and we contribute to lowering carbon emissions."

Income generated by bus lane PCNs from cameras can only be used for further works on highways, public transport and environmental projects.

As with parking restrictions, if a driver disagrees with the notice an appeals process is in place for when the cameras go live next month. Full details will be 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).