Nearly 3,000 people vote to decide future of controversial bus lane and camera in Northampton

Nearly 3,000 people voted in a public consultation over the future of a controversial bus lane and enforcement camera in Northampton - with an official decision set to be made next month (December).

2,725 residents voted in West Northamptonshire Council's (WNC) public consultation about the 24-hour bus lane in Weedon Road and St James' Road, which took place between October 6 and November 2.

A WNC spokeswoman, said: "We received a total of 2,725 responses to the bus lane consultation which is really encouraging and we’d like to thank everyone who took part.

"We’re currently in the process of analysing all this feedback which will then be reported back to cabinet, along with future recommendations, at their meeting on December 7."

The public consultation included four options to choose which were:

• Reduce the enforcement hours to a minimum period from 7.30am to 9.30am

• Reduce the enforcement hours to 7am to 7pm

• Leave the enforcement hours as they currently operate

• Other

The council did not include a choice to remove the camera and bus lane altogether, however it is believed that is what the 'other' option was for.

The bus lane has become controversial since the enforcement camera was placed right outside Westbridge Garage on February 15 of this year.

Motorists have legally been using that specific part of the bus lane outside Westbridge for years to undertake cars turning right into the garage to prevent a tailback of traffic.

Now the camera is there and the bus lane is off-limits, long queues of single-file traffic builds up in the area.

The council initially implemented the scheme in an attempt to reduce air pollution.

The camera has allowed the council to pocket more than half-a-million pounds in fines from drivers, with more than 17,000 tickets issued.