Welling Bus Lane Reaches the End of the Road
Welling bus lane has reached the end of the road and will be removed in the coming months. Bexley's Cabinet met tonight (21 June) to consider its future and agreed to replace the bus lane with waiting and loading restrictions.
After the election of Bexley's new administration in May, enforcement of the Welling bus lane using CCTV was temporarily suspended. Since then, the Council has been carrying out a review of the bus lane and produced a report for the Cabinet to consider.
Suspension of enforcement using CCTV will now continue and the bus lane will be removed under an Experimental Traffic Order. This will allow the Council to make a comprehensive assessment of the impact, before making any permanent changes. During this period, waiting and loading restrictions will be introduced and modifications made to the road layout as appropriate.
"We have listened to the concerns of local traders about the effect they believed the bus lane was having on their businesses" says Cllr Peter Craske, Cabinet Member for Transport. "We've taken those concerns on board and now we're taking action, as we promised before we took control of the Council."
"My priority is to ensure that enforcement is used primarily to keep traffic flowing and highways clear across the borough, rather than to raise money."
The Council is already in talks with Transport for London to try and vary its existing contract. If an agreement is reached, work will start in July to make the necessary changes to road markings, yellow lines and signs.
CCTV cameras in Welling are now being used primarily to counter crime and anti-social behaviour. Outstanding PCNs, issued before 8 May, will continue to be pursued.
