Sheffield City Council has come under fire for making a decision ‘behind closed doors’ to stall the roll out of a camera-enforcement scheme at a city centre bus gate.
Green Party councillor, Jillian Creasy, claims public transport will suffer delays as a result of the interference, which undermines confidence in the democratic process of the council.
The local authority was set to complete the final arrangements for the gates designed to give trams and buses priority during the rush hours as part of the council’s commitment to improving reliability of public transport in the city.
However, Creasy claims cabinet member for transport, Ian Auckland, effectively stalled the plan in order to shield motorists from fines during the recession.
She said: ‘Local residents had been consulted and were expecting enforcement to start. They have still not been informed of the delay, or the reasons for it.
'I am obviously concerned that buses and trams travelling through the city centre continue to suffer delays, making public transport less viable. Worsening congestion damages the local economy. But I am also concerned that the decision was made behind closed doors. Officers have spent almost a year planning and consulting with local residents, businesses and ward councillors. This kind of interference with the democratic process erodes confidence in the council.’
The enforcement was the subject of detailed planning and consultation by highways officers last year, and adjustments were made to minimise disruption to local residents before being presented at a public meeting in January.
Two months later, Creasy was copied into a letter to a constituent that stated the 'council currently has no plans for the expansion of camera enforcement of bus and tram gates while the local economy is in recession'. She will ask the administration at the next council meeting why the restrictions have been delayed, and what arrangements have been made to inform the public of this.
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