Bus lane fines damage trade, says businessman

A BRISTOL businessman believes the introduction of fines for drivers parking in a new bus lane in Fishponds Road during rush hour is damaging trade.

Abdul Malik, a former city councillor who runs a halal butchers in the road, says shopkeepers in Eastville have noticed a dip in trade since Bristol City Council began enforcing the lane.

Motorists driving or parking in the lane during the morning rush hour are being caught by CCTV camera operators and sent fines in the post.

Speaking on behalf of a newly-formed traders' association for the road, Mr Malik said the enforcement meant there was no nowhere for suppliers to park and deliver goods or shoppers to leave their cars and visit businesses.

Mr Malik, who runs Pakeeza Halal Meat & Fish Corner, believes people were not given enough warning about the introduction of the enforcement measures and has criticised the council for showing no leniency to motorists caught flouting the law. He has called on the council to create a loading bay.

Mr Malik said: "One customer said he had received four fines. He had been parking in the road for a long time and didn't realise the traffic regulation orders were being enforced. He now won't want to come back to shop in the area. No leniency is being shown towards people waiting in the road or unloading. No provision has been made for the traders or their customers.

"There is a cash and carry here and people have bulky items to load and unload. We have people who want to load their cars from our shop and it only takes a couple of seconds. Our suppliers can't park a long way from the shop to deliver to the business.

"Outside our shop it's not very clear whether it's a bus lane or not. We've always used the area at the front of the shop for parking. At 9am we'll have to lock up the shop because deliveries can't be made."

Work on the multi-million-pound showcase bus route was completed in December last year but the enforcement of the bus lane has only recently been introduced.

Mr Malik, who aims to stand as a candidate in Bristol's first mayoral election in November, plans to meet with officials responsible for creating the £78-million Greater Bristol Bus Network - a network of ten showcase bus routes created in and around the city - to air his concerns.

Mr Malik, 38, who has a chain of six shops, said: "Local businesses are a large part of the economy. They are part of what makes up Bristol's vibrant high streets. I know Bristol's public transport needs to get better, but not at the expense of business."

Tim Kent, the city councillor in charge of transport, said: "For 21 hours of the day, they can use the bus lane legally but for three hours a day it's bus lane to get people into the city to get to work and to tackle congestion. My advice is that they use the legal parking and arrange to receive deliveries when it's not a peak time bus lane."

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