The Department for Transport (DfT) now allows local authorities outside of London to carry out moving traffic enforcement under Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004.
Surrey County Council intend to carry out camera enforcement of the bus lanes in Woking Road and Onslow Street in Guildford. We are starting a six- week consultation from February 2023 to ask for your opinion about these proposals.
Enforcement of the bus lanes at these two locations will help us manage traffic on the highway network and prevent unauthorised vehicles from using the bus lane.
Page contents
- Background and legislation
- What are moving traffic restrictions and how are they currently enforced
- Why we want to enforce these bus lanes in Surrey
- The proposed locations
- Why we selected these locations
- What this means for you
- Have your say
Background and Legislation
In 2022, the Department of Transport designated the county of Surrey as a civil enforcement area for moving traffic contraventions.
This means traffic enforcement cameras can be used to enforce a variety of highway restrictions on Surrey roads to help improve safety and reduce congestion.
What are moving traffic restrictions and how are they enforced
Moving traffic restrictions are designated by traffic signs and road markings, such as driving in a bus lane, making banned turns, stopping in yellow box junctions, driving the wrong way down one-way streets and driving in recognised cycle lanes.
Please do look at the list of the traffic signs which are subject to civil enforcement (PDF).
Currently, we are only looking to carry out camera enforcement against bus lane contraventions (therefore deter unauthorised vehicles from driving in the bus lane) at two specific locations, at Woking Road and Onslow Street, Guildford.
Why we want to enforce these bus lanes in Surrey
Specifically, traffic enforcement cameras provide an option to make travel and transportation schemes more effective and could be a key tool in helping deliver transportation and environmental objectives to reduce congestion and improve facilities for buses, cycles and pedestrians, particularly vulnerable road users.
The proposed locations
We propose to enforce the bus lanes either side of the roundabout on Woking Road, just north of the A3 underpass. This is the map for Woking Road.
We also propose to enforce the bus lane at Onslow Street southbound approaching the gyratory system in Guildford town centre. This is the map for Onslow Street.
Why we selected these locations
These locations were chosen for camera enforcement because vehicles regularly drive in the bus lanes when they should not to avoid the traffic queues approaching Stoke Cross Roads and the Guildford Gyratory.
What this means for you
We are not proposing to add any additional moving traffic restrictions to those that are already in place, and drivers that continue to comply with the restrictions at each location will not be at risk of enforcement action.
The DfT stipulate that warning notices must be sent to motorists who commit an offence for the first time, for a period of six months from the installation of a camera. Subsequent offences by the same vehicle/keeper would receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), which is to be set at £70 (reduced to £35 if paid early).
Have your say
We would like to hear your views about the proposed traffic camera enforcement for bus lanes on Woking Road and Onslow Street, Guildford in case there is anything unforeseen that would not make these suitable locations for camera enforcement. The consultation will run from Tuesday 21 February 2023 to Tuesday 4 April 2023 and can be found using the link below.
