Two bus lane cameras coming to Washington and Sunderland this weekend

The cameras are at the bus only sections of Dene Street, Silksworth, and Brancepeth Road, Washington.

By Friday (August 11), 745 warning notices had been posted out to vehicle owners after the cameras began their monitoring on Monday, July 24.

There has been a ‘grace period’ since they were switched-on and vehicle owners  received a warning notice and not a fine.

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The Silksworth camera has generated 484 warning notices to vehicle owners and the Washington camera generated 261 warning notices.

This warning period ends at 00.01am on Monday, August 14.

Silksworth Bus Gate CCTV (Image: SUNDERLAND CITY COUNCIL)

Footage from the cameras is reviewed by Sunderland City Council and can lead to a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) of £70.

The cameras are the first 'buses only' enforcement cameras to be used by Sunderland City Council, but councils across the country have been adopting enforcement powers to issue fines (Penalty Charge Notices) to vehicles that break traffic restrictions, such as driving in bus lanes and through bus gate restrictions.

Washington Bus gates CCTV (Image: SUNDERLAND CITY COUNCIL)

The £70 PCN can be discounted to £35 if paid within 21 days.

If anyone receives a notice that they disagree with they can follow the appeals procedure which is detailed on the notice the registered keeper receives in the post.

A third camera is due to be installed in Holmeside in Sunderland city centre later this year. 

Income generated by traffic enforcement PCNs from cameras can only be used for further works on highways, public transport and environmental projects.

The new enforcement does not cover speeding offences monitored by cameras which remain with Northumbria Police and the Northumbria Safer Roads Initiative (NSRI).