Drivers in Suffolk could face £30 fines for driving in bus lanes or going the wrong way
Suffolk County Council is considering deploying ANPR cameras to catch rule breakers on local roads
Last updated 4th Nov 2022
Drivers in Suffolk could soon face £30 fines for mistakes like driving in a bus lane or going the wrong way at a junction.
Suffolk County Council is considering a plan to deploy Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras at rule breaking hotspots across the county, at a cost of around £25,000 per camera.
Last December the Department for Transport announced that authorities outside of London would be able to deploy ANPR to monitor traffic offences.
If approved the ANPR cameras could be rolled over over the next year with drivers initially being sent warnings before being handed a £30 fine.
They'd be used to monitor the use of bus lanes and bus gates, as well as people parking on double yellows or going the wrong way at a junction.
HGV drivers could also be fined if they ignore weight limits or diversions in rural areas.
Suffolk County Council also claim the cameras could help cut carbon emissions by reducing traffic in areas where the use of private vehicles is restricted.
Four pilot locations have been identified so far, including Dogs Head Street, Upper Brook Steet and Fore Street in Ipswich - where vehicles are restricted.
The bus gate on Old Norwich Road could also be monitored.
Councillors will consider the plan at a meeting next Tuesday (November 8).