Fears raised over Blackpool town centre traffic cameras which go live at the end of March

The use of cameras to enforce traffic restrictions in Blackpool town centre should not be a 'cash cow' to catch out unwary holiday-makers, councillors have warned.
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They said prominent signage must be installed as part of the system to monitor traffic in bus hubs on parts of Market Street, Church Street and Corporation Street.

Otherwise Blackpool risked a similar controversy to Preston where confusion over the introduction of cameras in bus lanes on Fishergate led to thousands of drivers being fined.

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Coun Gary Coleman told a meeting of the council's tourism, economy and communities scrutiny committee it would be unfair to take advantage of visiting motorists who were unfamiliar with Blackpool's road system.

Traffic cameras will be used on Corporation StreetTraffic cameras will be used on Corporation Street
Traffic cameras will be used on Corporation Street

He feared if lots of fines were handed out, it would put people off spending their money in the town.

He added: "I think the premise is a good idea, but we don't want to be seen to be making money from this, or for it to be a cash cow."

Coun Jo Farrell said: "We do not want what happened in Preston and all the bad publicity they had there."

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Council deputy leader Coun Gillian Campbell said the aim was not to raise money through fines.

She said: "It won't be like Preston where you come out and don't realise where you're going and get a fine. I've made that clear to the officers.

"We do need to make sure it is signed properly as lots of people don't know their way around Blackpool."

The cameras, which are due to go live on March 30, are being installed to make the bus hub safer, with further cameras expected to be installed on Talbot Road in future phases.

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Alan Cavill, director of regeneration, said: "It is a bus priority area with buses pulling out so there is a safety issue which is why we have taken this approach."

In one recent 12 month period, 30,738 tickets were issued to drivers contravening rules on Preston's Fishergate after they were caught out by cameras.

It is believed the system has earned Lancashire County Council in excess of £2m since the cameras were first switched in 2016.

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