Article from: www.thenewspaper.com/news/52/5209.asp

5/16/2017

UK Cameras Ticket Cars Based On Where They Drive
License plate camera tracks motorists in Cambridge, England, and issues fines to motorists based on whether they belong on a certain road.

Using a particular road to avoid traffic congestion in England can result in a £50 (US $64) ticket arriving in the mailbox. The Cambridgeshire Constabulary announced that automated enforcement using automated license plate readers (ALPR, or ANPR in the UK) would be used beginning to enforce traffic restrictions on Addenbrooke's Road next Monday. Although this road was designed as an access road for the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, it has become an important local shortcut.

Camera enforcement had been used in the past, but it was discontinued until talks began earlier this year between hospital administrators and police signed a memorandum of understanding governing the project, with Addenbrooke's Hospital serving as the "lead agency in this venture."

The new venture could generate up to £11 million (US $14 million) per year worth of tickets, as up to 650 motorists use the affected route as a shortcut between the M11 highway and the city of Cambridge. Motorists relying on Google Maps could find themselves unwitting recipients of a citation, as the primary route option offered for certain destinations will include the camera-enforced road.

"We will do all we can to warn people not to rat-run -- we are starting by giving drivers two weeks' notice of the enforcement," Cambridgeshire Constabulary Chief Inspector Paul Ormerod said in a statement. "There will be clear signage in place and we will be trying to inform as many people as possible before May 22."

Officials believe it is sufficient notice to post yellow and black signs on the affected routes.

"Advance Warning: police camera enforcement," the sign says. "No through road -- access to hospital and biomedical campus only from 22nd May 2017. Offenders will be fined."

Near the same sign, a white sign displays a picture of a motorcycle and a car with a no access symbol, combined with the text "except for access to hospitals" and the image of a camera.

"Those who use the road correctly will have nothing to worry about and I'd like to reassure people there will be sufficient time to drop off patients, relatives or staff members without being fined," Stuart Hay, the hospital's acting facility director said in the press release announcing the ticketing venture.

Motorists seeking additional details before planning a trip will not find them easily. No information is available on the Addenbrooke's Hospital or county council website. The county council directed inquiries to hospital administrators after noting the camera enforced road is on private land.

"None of the roads located on the site have been adopted by the county council, however that does not preclude the local authority from enacting traffic restrictions on them," council policy and regulation manager Sharon Piper told TheNewspaper.

Requests for more details from the Cambridge Biomedical Campus were not returned.