A Burton shopper says slapping fines on vehicles using the pedestrianised High Street could pay for the town's much-needed third bridge crossing.

Glenys Yates contacted the Burton Mail to suggest fining each motorist driving along the High Street £100 after witnessing 13 cars flouting the restrictions in less than 10 minutes. She also called for bollards to be reinstated along the High Street, where buses and delivery drivers are granted access.

However, Staffordshire County Council which, as the Highways department, has closed St Peter's Bridge for repairs, said police were responsible for enforcing the restrictions on High Street and that options on how to improve the area were being explored. But bollards were not one of the options.

Mrs Yates said: "With regards to the fiasco of St Peter's Bridge and the opening up again of High Street to through traffic. It is an absolute disgrace. Other towns have bollards. Why was it not possible for Burton's bollards not to work when we had them?

"Or if not, why not fit cameras down High Street, get all the registrations of the traffic going through then fine them say £100 each. They would soon recoup a lot of the money which was lost with regards to the bollards.

vehicles driving through the pedestrian zone on High Street in Burton
vehicles driving through the pedestrian zone on High Street in Burton

"I recently walked from the market place to the Lord Burton, in High Street, and in that short space of time 13 vehicles went through. That would be more than £1,000. That was not even 10 minutes.

"People are not just going through at the moment because of the bridge closure. They have been disregarding the law since the bollards were closed down.

"If they did do that it would surely bring in money to pay toward a third bridge which is so badly needed. Someone will eventually will be in a serious accident. Then it will be too late. Why cannot someone take responsibility and make a decision about it?"

Helen Fisher, cabinet support member for transport and highways at the county council, said: "We are making every effort to minimise disruption in Burton town centre as a result of the St Peter's Bridge works but would like to remind people of the traffic restrictions in High Street which are enforced by the police.

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"We have established a town centre working group which includes county and borough council representatives, the police, businesses and residents. The group is exploring a number of options on how the High Street can be improved for traffic and pedestrians. At this stage none of the options look at reinstating the rising bollards."

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