Llanthony Bridge making money

THERE is now a ban on vehicles using the pedestrianised area by Llanthony Bridge in Gloucester,  but 8,000 have been caught using it, and getting a £60 fine.

It was in July that  Gloucestershire County Council introduced a CCTV camera on the bridge in a bid to deter people driving through the pedestrianised area, Alan Tilbury tells us, but this has not acted as a deterrent.

Up to September, more than 5,700 people had been caught breaking the ban, and another 2,111 have been filmed using the bridge since, despite warnings.

People caught on camera driving across the bridge, which is now for buses and taxis only, are given a £60 penalty notice.

Blaming their sat-navs

As an excuse for crossing the bridge, motorist are blaming their sat-navs that show it as a right of way.

However, the fines have mounted to a sizeable income for the council that has pedestrianised the area. Visitors to the city are complaining that there are insufficient signs, with the council admitting 'signage could be better.'

Before the camera was switched on in July, an average of 2,000 people a day were caught, but this had reduced to 170 by the start of September, and has now fallen to 130 per day.