MORE than 700 drivers have ignored the city centre ban on daytime traffic in Oxford.
Surveillance cameras have caught 705 drivers flouting restrictions in the High Street since they went live on February 26.
However, they might have all had a lucky escape because Oxfordshire County Council has insisted on a so-called "grace period" until the new law is fully understood by everyone.
And when it is, drivers face a £60 fine if they are caught using the central area between 7.30am and 6.30pm.
Worryingly for the county council, which as the highways authority is responsible for policing the restrictions, the number of drivers ignoring the ban increased last week and reached a peak on Thursday March 1, the day for which figures were last available, when 222 were caught.
The restrictions have been in place for eight years, but a legal loophole meant drivers could not be prosecuted using CCTV footage from enforcement cameras.
Bus gates in High Street, Castle Street, George Street and Magdalen Street are also being monitored.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article