Bristol City Council plans crackdown on dangerous driving

A crackdown on drivers flouting the law at six dangerous roads is being proposed under new enforcement powers available to Bristol City Council.

They include the junction of Hareclive Road and Anton Bantock Way in Withywood where pedestrian Keith Pullin, from Hartcliffe, was killed when he was struck by a car on his way to a dentist appointment in 2017.

The father-of-two spent two weeks in hospital with severe brain injuries before the difficult decision was made to switch off life support, and he was later recognised posthumously for giving his organs and saving the lives of two other people.

The council is applying for new powers to fine motorists for “moving traffic offences”, such as illegal U-turns, driving the wrong way down a one-way street, going through no entry signs or in bus lanes, turning left or right where this is prohibited and stopping in yellow box junctions.

Great timing that on #CarFreeDay2022 I’m holding a meeting in our ward about tackling traffic, rat-running, and speeding in the area. There’s plenty that councils and town planners can do, BUT we also need to take personal responsibility and drive less whenever we can. pic.twitter.com/lRAcBYundA

— Cllr Emma Edwards (@bristol_pip) September 22, 2022

Before May, these could be enforced in England and Wales only by the police, with the exception of London and Cardiff, but all local authorities can now request to take these on and issue fines ranging from £20 to £105.

Instead of handing back the money to central government, which happens with penalties from speed cameras, councils can use it to fund highway improvements, environmental projects and public transport.

The government says it expects local authorities to issue warning notices for first-time offences, but concerns have been raised that some will see it as a cash cow and another way to hammer motorists.

In Bristol, the city council is asking the department of transport for civil enforcement powers to install cameras initially at the Withywood traffic lights junction where Keith died, as well as five other danger spots. These are:

• Hockey’s Lane and Fishponds Road junction, Fishponds (signal-controlled junction);
• King Georges Road and Queens Road junction, Withywood (signal-controlled junction);
• Lower Redland Road between Elgin Park and Exeter Buildings, Redland (one way);
• Furber Road between Raeburn Road and St Anne’s Road, St George (one-way);
• Bath Bridge Roundabout and Cattle Market Road junction (signal-controlled junction).

Keith’s family and Hartcliffe & Withywood ward Labour councillor Kerry Bailes have been leading a campaign for a traffic enforcement camera at Anton Bantock Way and say dangerous driving at the junction has continued despite the tragedy.

Bailes said: “I know from my conversations with local residents that people are desperate for some road safety measures on this junction.

“There have been at least 12 crashes on the wider junction in the past few years – one of which was serious and another one fatal.

The council has launched a six-week public consultation into the proposals, which closes on November 1 and is available at: www.ask.bristol.gov.uk/moving-traffic-enforcement-powers-consultation.

Adam Postans is a local democracy reporter for Bristol

Main photo: Ellie Pipe

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