Holmeside bus gate camera update

The cameras are at the bus only section of Holmeside in the city centre.

They are scheduled to go 'live' at 0001hrs on Monday 18 March 2024, and there will be a two-week grace period where vehicle owners observed contravening the regulations will receive a warning notice.

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

Since they went live, 1,934 warnings and 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 new gyratory 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, creating clockwise gyratory system, returning traffic to Holmeside in an easterly direction.

Councils across the country have been adopting bus lane 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 from the cameras is reviewed by the City Council and contraventions of the traffic restrictions can lead to a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) of £70.

The £70 PCN can be discounted to £35 if paid within 21 days or alternatively the driver may appeal against the proposed PCN.

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 disagrees with the notice 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).