Tunbridge Wells locals fear bus lane signs could confuse drivers

KentOnline / KMTV

The local MP believes changing markings from a red circle to blue, will imply permission, leading to more fines.  Local Democracy reporter Gabriel Morris reports.

Transcript

00:00It's fair to say all drivers know bus lanes exist, but in Tunbridge Wells more than 10,000

00:07people were fined on this bus gate in the last year.

00:11And for those being fined, they say the signs simply aren't clear enough.

00:17There are two types.

00:19These blue ones saw more than 8,000 fined last year, compared to a little less than

00:254,000 on these circular ones.

00:28Kent County Council is now proposing to standardise all to blue.

00:34So I've come down to Tunbridge Wells to see what shoppers make of the proposed new signs.

00:40You're going to make a split decision.

00:41Which sign would you think is easier to understand, the old one or the new one?

00:45The old one, I think.

00:46Old one, yeah?

00:47I don't know, maybe that then.

00:48So you think the new one's a little bit clearer?

00:50Yeah.

00:51I mean, to me, I think the first one's got a red thing saying no cars.

00:57To me, that's more obvious.

00:58No, I think that one makes more sense, because that one's in red.

01:02That's in a red circle.

01:03Which means don't go down there.

01:05It's a prohibitive sign, isn't it, a round one?

01:08But that blue one doesn't mean anything.

01:10No, I don't think that's very clear.

01:14So keep the old signs?

01:15I would say so, because of the red.

01:16You know, that doesn't look like you can't go, I don't know, but is that my knowledge?

01:21Oh, my God.

01:24Still a lot of confusion, but red wins.

01:28These signs tell motorists cars and motorbikes are not allowed down the road, whereas the

01:34blue signs are permitting taxis, pushbikes and buses.

01:39They both mean the same thing, but with blue becoming the standardised option, there are

01:43concerns it'll increase the number of fines.

01:45It really means that over the last two years, whilst the Borough Council, myself, residents

01:51in Sunbridge Wells have all been complaining to Kent County Council, who are the highways

01:54authority, that the signage is wrong and needs fixing.

01:58They've ignored all of that, and now they're making the situation much, much worse.

02:03Kent County Council says they understand the concerns that the blue will bring.

02:07However, these signs are compliant with the highway code.

02:11They also confirmed a warning period is in place for six months to ensure motorists are

02:16aware of the restrictions and can plan another route in the future.

02:21It's unclear when the signage will change, but blueprints do seem to indicate that bus

02:27gates will also have road markings added.

02:30Gabriel Morris, in Sunbridge Wells.

Category

Transcript

Recommended