A new 'bus gate' in Bristol has resulted in drivers being fined more than £500,000 since enforcement began at the start of 2024. The bus gate on Cumberland Road has issued more than 22,000 penalty charge notices from January 2 to March 19, raising a whopping £513,369 for Bristol City Council.
The gate has faced serious backlash from residents and locals who say it is damaging to the local economy. The gate prohibits any vehicles other than buses, cycles, taxis and motorcycles to enter the city centre via Cumberland Road.
Some drivers have even blamed Google Maps for showing Cumberland Road as the fastest route into town. However, using the route and going through the bus gate will land drivers with a fine.
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John Smith, the interim executive director of growth and regeneration at Bristol City Council, has previously stated that the bus gate on Cumberland Road "would achieve elements of the wider transport policy aspirations of the City Council's overall transport strategy".
In the heart of the city, camera-enforced bus gates are also in place on Bristol Bridge and at the entrance of Baldwin Street from the centre. These bus gates form part of the council's Bristol Transport Strategy and aim to reduce traffic and therefore vehicle emissions in a bid to help meet air quality and 2030 climate goals.
To reach a carbon neutral status by 2030, 90 percent of cars must be electric and car journeys across Bristol must be reduced by 40 percent.
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