Westminster urges travel operators to obey coach ban (18/10/2007)

Westminster City Council is calling on the handful of coach operators who continue to disregard the coach ban in Pimlico to obey the law or face a heavy fine.

A minority of coach drivers are ignoring the ban which prevents them from using St George's Drive as an exit route out of Victoria Coach Station and the Green Line Terminal at Bulleid Way.

The ban, which is enforced by Westminster's high tech CCTV Smart cars and the police, came into force in January and anyone caught flouting it faces a £120 penalty.

Following extensive consultation with the council and Victoria Coach Station management, most coach companies are respecting the traffic regulations in the area and staying on the main roads.

But the council is keen to ensure that the minority who are breaching the law are made aware of the traffic regulations and fall into line.

Councillor Danny Chalkley, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Transport, said: "Before the coach ban was in place we had numerous complaints from local residents and businesses who were unhappy about the substantial number of coaches that were parked and driven down St George's Drive.

"This situation has now greatly improved following lengthy talks with the coach operators and the management at Victoria Coach Station.

"We obviously welcome their cooperation in this but there are, however, a minority of coach companies who continue to flout the ban.

"We are urging them to obey this important traffic regulation otherwise they face the risk of receiving a £120 fine through their letter box."

Before the ban was introduced, St George's Drive used to be the main southbound route for coaches heading out of the Coach Station towards Vauxhall Bridge Road and then onwards to destinations in south London, Kent and continental Europe.

At the time, the council received numerous complaints from local residents and businesses who said that some coaches were using St George’s Drive as an unnecessary short cut, parking on the street illegally and causing traffic disruption in the area.

The ban was brought in following talks with Victoria Coach Station, National Express, Green Line Travel and the Confederation of Passenger Transport.

ENDS