Over 30 council workers have been stung by a new speed camera their own bosses put in place but did not make it clear with signage that the camera had been set up.
The speed camera device was positioned at a busy junction to catch out drivers breaking the 30mph limit on busy city roads.
But recently a chunk of the fines were sent to the council’s own staff, with 38 notices of intended prosecution issued to Cardiff council vehicles.
The new move faced backlash from councilors who claimed that motorists were getting caught out due to a lack of signage in the first week.
Cllr Caro Wild, cabinet member for climate change at Cardiff Council, said council vehicles were snapped at Western Avenue junction in Cardiff.
The speed camera was put in place by council bosses
A freedom of information request showed over 4,200 notices had been dished out in a week
The number of notices fell by 623 the following week when signage was put in place
A freedom of information request made to South Wales Police found that 4,293 Notices of Intended Prosecution between June 26 to July 3.
A new speed limit sign was then attacked to the camera by July 3 – and the number of notices dropped to just 623 for the following week.
Conservative councilor Sean Driscoll said: ‘This clearly shows that if the vast majority of drivers were alerted to the changes, less people would have been fined, including possibly some of our hard pressed staff.
‘Do you agree that additional signage and information could have saved people an awful lot of stress and money which they can ill afford?’
Cllr Wild said: ‘I am going to have to defer* this is one for highways and technical experts.
‘I am not going to get into whether the signage is correct, that is for them to do. I am happy to raise that as I am sure you have done yourself.’
Western Avenue has been a 30mph zone since 2021 a red warning sign on the bridge before the speed camera.
But drivers argued the sign was not clear enough and that its bilingual format made it difficult to read as they drove past.
Cardiff Council said motorists should know that street lighting indicates a 30mph zone is in place as outlined in the Highway Code.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk
