More than 2,000 fined for crossing Park Way bridge Options

[Andy Capp]

Cllr David Betts (Con, Purley on Thames) celebrates making money out of 'stupid' Newbury shoppers!

This is a bit more like it! Had the council installed cameras in place of bollards, they could have made a killing! All together now: "We're in the money, we're money!"

"At a rate of £60 per fine - reduced to £30 if it is paid within 14 days - the council stands to have received up to £136,440 from the fines issued since the bridge reopened to traffic in November, although the council said it was unable to disclose what the exact revenue collected from the fines was as the NWN went to press yesterday (Wednesday)."

On top of that, the council come out fighting!

The West Berkshire councillor responsible for highways, David Betts (Con, Purley on Thames) said the drivers had only themselves to blame. “Some people just drive about with their eyes shut,” he said. “It is a very high number of people getting caught, but there are many drivers who just do not read the signs and who ‘try it on’, thinking they will get away with it.” He denied that the camera was installed to catch people as a money spinner for the council: “The reasons for the changes in traffic flow on the bridge are very clear, it is part of the town centre traffic reorganisation scheme to get buses out of the pedestrian part of town, but if people are stupid enough to ignore the signs and we make money, that is a bonus.”

That's the spirit!




Cllr David Betts (Con, Purley on Thames) finally
has something to cheer about as he celebrates the
profits from a lucrative traffic order violations initiative.
"... if people are stupid enough to ignore the signs
and we make money, that is a bonus!" He chortled.

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article...articleID=19000