Drivers face fines for shortcut

Some motorists have been fined more than once

Drivers in Dorset are racking up huge fines for using an illegal shortcut while a road is closed for repairs.

Bournemouth Borough Council says it has issued 800 £60 fines to motorists driving through Kings Park, Boscombe, in just one week.

Some motorists have been caught driving through the park four times a day.

The route, open only to buses and cyclists, is being used as a shortcut while nearby Ashley Road is closed for repairs to a rail bridge.

Warning Letters

Ashley Road, the A3049, was closed to traffic in September to allow essential repairs to a bridge crossing the railway line. The road is expected to reopen on 18 December.

Bournemouth's transport councillor, Robert Lawton said: "We don't want to be in this situation and therefore we have taken every possible measure to inform people that they are not allowed to drive through Kings Park.

"The correct signage is in place warning people that only buses are allowed through the park and our officers were on site for two weeks advising people of the correct diversions.

"We also allowed a period of time when we only issued warning letters to motorists before we informed people last week that we would be issuing penalty charge notices.

"The camera does not flash so drivers may think that they are getting away with it."