Since late May, thousands of motorists have been unwittingly snared while driving alongside Liverpool’s Roman Catholic Cathedral in Mount Pleasant.
Liverpool Confidential exclusively revealed the unholy switch-on of the bus-lane cameras, witnessing the spectacle of motorists in their hundreds notching up fines of up to £60.
Many, including disabled drivers, were on their way to the cathedral, unaware they had sinned - at least in the eyes of the city council.
God couldn’t attend a meeting to protest at the scheme, so instead He sent his main man in Liverpool, Canon Anthony O’Brien, Dean of the Cathedral.
Canon O’Brien has now told his flock that the cameras zooming over Busgate, outside the wigwam, have been temporarily switched off.
Halleluiah, let the bells rings out.
Yesterday the signs warning of the bus-lane were removed.
Canon O’Brien said: "Driving through this stretch of Mount Pleasant has been restricted to buses, taxis, cycles and other 'authorised vehicles' for the past month.
"Despite the signs hundreds of drivers who have not observed the restrictions have driven through and are likely to be fined. Further consultations between the Cathedral, Liverpool University, other interested parties and the city council are to take place."
The Dean said in particular he was greatly concerned at the impossibility of disabled parking because of the restrictions and the difficulties encountered by those arriving at the Cathedral by car for services or visits.
The cameras were installed months ago as part of Liverpool City Council’s CCMS – City Centre Movement Strategy – aimed at ‘improving’ traffic flow in and around the city. Bus lanes in the city centre are now raking in millions of pounds a year from motorists.
The Mount Pleasant bus lane site proved to be one of the most controversial is not even part of a regular bus route. Only student buses use the stretch of Mount Pleasant, mainly in term times, and a local runaround mldi-bus uses the route.
Originally the council wanted to turn a stretch of Mount Pleasant, close to the Brownlow Hill junction, into a pedestrian area on safety grounds because of the large number of students congregating there. The bus-lane was introduced as a compromise, it claimed, to enable access to university and cathedral car parks.
People who receive penalty tickets are entitled to appeal against the fine. Their chances of winning are likely to be increased following the latest decision.
