CCTV cameras could be used to penalise motorists who ignore Spalding town centre rules - councillor
CCTV cameras could be used to penalise motorists who flout town centre rules, it has been claimed.
Driving through Market Place and Hall Place and a part of Broad Street in Spalding is banned between 10am and 4pm in a bid to keep the shopping area pedestrianised.
However, ‘hundreds’ of selfish drivers ignore the rules each day, much to the regular frustration of shoppers.
The Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) which is meant to prevent this happening is currently being rewritten by Lincolnshire County Council, with stricter measures expected.
And when these new rules come into play, cameras could be used to shop motorists who don’t follow the rules, South Holland District Council’s portfolio holder for public protection, Coun Anthony Casson, told the recent Town Forum meeting.
Coun Casson was responding to a point raised by David Jones of cycling action group PEDALS, who asked whether the cameras could be used for ‘keep motorists in line’.
“I reckon there are more people committing anti-social behaviour that are motorists than the rest of the population,” he said.
“Anti-social includes being inconsiderate, not following the law and not doing what helps the rest of the population.
“The camera on the Herring Lane car park is presumably focusing on bit of Broad Street motorists aren’t allowed to go after 10am in the morning. Are the cameras being used for that purpose?”
Coun Casson said he could not answer that question directly, before stating he believed ‘people do feel safer in town with cameras being there.
“The only thing that makes me feel unsafe in town is when a car appears from somewhere its not meant to be,” Mr Jones retorted.
“The police completely ignore that. We get survey after survey and it’s always ignored, this could be such a useful way of using the CCTV.”
Meeting chairman Coun Rob Gibson suggested out that the volume of traffic currently driving through central Spalding when it shouldn’t be meant it was impossible to enforce these rules.
“Hopefully the TRO is nearly written, then we can make a difference in the town centre,” he said.
“You (currently) need someone sat there 24/7 taking down number plates. I’m going to defend the police a little bit, they don’t have the manpower to do that.
“I know it’s something people want, they just don’t have the manpower.”
However, Coun Gibson did question whether cameras could be used to spot culprits ignoring the rules once the TRO is up and running.
“Currently there hundreds of vehicles a day, I wouldn’t expect them to do that.
“But possibly one or two a day? Would that be a possibility?
“I was stood near one of the bakeries in town and a vehicle came the wrong way down the one way street because it was market day and (the road ahead was) closed off.
“He said ‘what am I supposed to do? I need to collect somebody’s takeaway delivery’. I’d like to think we could stop that?”
Coun Casson said he believes using cameras to clamp down on these actions could be viable.
“They could be used for anything like that, I’m sure,” he confirmed.