Bristol City Council winning bus gate appeals since concerns
A council says it has defeated numerous appeals from drivers caught using a controversial bus gate since an adjudicator raised concerns about its signs.Only buses, taxis and bicycles can pass through the Cumberland Road bus gate in Bristol without incurring a fine.In February, a Traffic Penalty Tribunal adjudicator examining one driver's appeal ruled some of its signs were not "likely to be that effective" in warning drivers and should be changed.Bristol City Council said it had updated its evidence to address the adjudicator's concerns and won numerous tribunal cases since.
The bus gate was installed in 2023 and saw £1m worth of fines issued within six months last year.While all of the signs at the bus gate are legal, adjudicator Mackenzie Robinson criticised the lack of adequate signs on the turning onto Cumberland Road from Gas Ferry Road.
In his ruling, Mr Robinson said the first three warning signs approaching the bus gate from Avon Crescent were "not particularly well located".He said: "I am concerned that little use has been made of road markings diverting drivers towards the council's preferred alternative route."He explained it is not his role to advise the council, but said the authority should use its local knowledge and expertise to decide what measures should be put in place.
Mr Robinson said he had ruled in the council's favour when deciding previous appeals, but changed his mind due to the quantity of claims.The driver in this ruling was represented by campaigner Matt Sanders, who has been calling for the bus gate to be changed since May 2024.Mr Sanders said it was the first time the driver, who won their appeal, had driven across Bristol in five years. He said they chose to travel via Hotwells to avoid bus gates in Baldwin Street and Bristol Bridge."The design of the bus gate has lots of individual mistakes and errors, and lack of anticipation of problems," Mr Sanders told the BBC."They may well be genuine errors," he added. "It may not be a sinister plot, but it means that it's less effective so there are more contraventions."
'Signs are legal'
Councillor Ed Plowden, chair of the council's transport committee, said the bus gate is among a number of measures which has improved air quality.He said its signs are compliant with the latest guidance and legislation and some signs exceed the requirements set out by the Traffic Signs Manual."Recent tribunal decisions not found in favour of the council have not undermined the wider operation of the bus gate," he added."However, officers have adjusted our existing signage and, if appropriate, will consider installing further additional signage or making other adjustments."Mr Plowden also said it is the responsibility of individuals to plan their journeys and avoid bus gates.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
36 minutes ago
- Wales Online
Inside the life of The Gold's Douglas Baxter and if he really existed
Inside the life of The Gold's Douglas Baxter and if he really existed The Gold season 2 is streaming on the BBC iPlayer BBC's drama The Gold has made a triumphant return to our screens with its second season, delving once more into the infamous Brink's-Mat heist and the subsequent fate of the stolen hoard of gold bullion, diamonds, and cash. Neil Forsyth, who pens the drama, expertly weaves together real events and imaginative storytelling in this final chapter of the series. Just like in the first instalment, viewers are greeted with a disclaimer before each episode, which highlights the dramatic embellishments for storytelling purposes. The narrative for the BBC's latest series is spurred on by a host of new characters, some crafted purely for narrative momentum. New faces gracing the second season include Logan Campbell (portrayed by Tom Hughes), Tony Lundy (Stephen Campbell Moore), and Douglas Baxter (Joshua McGuire), sparking curiosity among the audience, particularly about the character Douglas Baxter, the money launderer, and his origins. Questions have arisen concerning the reality of Douglas Baxter's existence within the context of BBC's The Gold, reports the Express. Douglas Baxter was created for BBC's The Gold (Image: BBC ) Article continues below Is Douglas Baxter from BBC's The Gold real? Douglas makes his introduction in the show's sophomore season, as robber Charlie Miller (Sam Spruell) co-opts him to launder the proceeds from the Brink's-Mat heist. While initially dubious about collaborating with the South London criminal, Douglas soon recognises the scale of the opportunity presenting the pinnacle laundering task of his life. In truth, Douglas is not a real figure. The creator Forsyth illuminated the backstory of Douglas stating: "Douglas Baxter is a composite character inspired by some of those involved in the Brink's-Mat story. Douglas Baxter was a key figure in the show (Image: BBC ) "Baxter is an Isle of Man financial advisor who gets brought into the story by Charlie Miller and he ends up being part of an extensive money laundering chain that stretches all the way to the Caribbean. "He's a really interesting character in our show, and I think he's brilliantly played by Joshua McGuire." Although Douglas isn't real, he is derived from real-life figures and the research carried out by Forsyth and The Gold's creators. Joshua McGuire as Douglas Baxter in BBC's The Gold (Image: BBC ) Forsyth further explained: "We do a huge amount of research with The Gold, but then we have to tell a cohesive version of a very complicated story, so of course creative licence is used for that and other reasons. But theseries is very much inspired by real events." Douglas is a grammar-school educated, Cambridge graduate lawyer, who finds himself down on his luck after a criminal conviction for drug possession. However, his luck takes a turn after working for Charlie and involving his old university mate Logan. Reflecting on the complex character crafted by Forsyth, actor McGuire expressed: "It was so exciting to come in and be part of the second half. Douglas Baxter finds himself making a fortune thanks to money laundering (Image: BBC ) "Sometimes I think that can be quite nerve wracking because it's something that's already rolling, there's a sort of language that already exists and you're stepping into it. But it was just really nice to be able to feel part of an expansion of something." He continued to comment on his performance: "Everything I needed for Baxter was all in Neil's writing. "It was all there on the page and it's always, for me, the most important place to jump off. I absolutely tried to garner as much information as I could. "Neil and the researcher from series one wrote a book off the back of the first series, and Neil gave me that, which I found incredibly helpful." Article continues below The Gold season 2 is streaming on the BBC iPlayer now
Wales Online
2 hours ago
- Wales Online
BBC's The Gold viewers question if Charlie Miller existed
BBC's The Gold viewers question if Charlie Miller existed The second season of the BBC's The Gold is currently airing The second season of BBC's The Gold is currently airing, and viewers are once again curious about the line between fact and fiction. Each episode begins with a disclaimer stating: "The following is inspired by real events and the many theories that have surround the gold. "Some characters, elements and chronologies have been created or changed for dramatic purposes." The new series kicks off with South London gangster Charlie Miller, portrayed by Sam Spruell, concealing the gold in an abandoned tin mine in Cornwall. He later enlists the help of shady lawyer Douglas Baxter, played by Joshua McGuire, to launder the proceeds from the remaining half of the Brink's-Mat loot, reports the Express. Here's an examination of whether Charlie Miller is based on a real person. Sam Spruell reprises his role as Charlie Miller in The Gold season 2 (Image: BBC ) Is Charlie Miller from BBC's The Gold a real person? No, Charlie Miller is a fictional character created for the series. Article continues below Actor Sam Spruell sheds light on the character, explaining: "Charlie Miller is an amalgam of various alleged southeast London criminals involved in the Brink's-Mat robbery, he is no one specific. "You see Charlie really at the end of the first series as he's one of the Brink's-Mat robbers. "He ends up at the beginning of the second series in possession of half the gold. "Throughout the first series the police thought they were dealing with all the gold but actually there is another half that Charlie Miller kept for himself." The Gold's Charlie Miller who had the other half of the Brink's-Mat loot (Image: BBC ) In the first season, Charlie enjoyed a carefree life under the sun with his initial share of the proceeds but had to return to the UK for the rest after his money ran dry. Spruell remarked about his character: "Through his criminal network in South London, of which Charlie has been a part of for years, he discovers the presence of Baxter who is cleaning small amounts of money for establishments like pubs and other places like that in south London." He pointed out: "Charlie sees this guy with his Cambridge education as the right man to clean a very large amount of money that he is going to make from getting rid of this gold." Charlie Miller was depicted as hiding the gold down an old tin mine in Cornwall (Image: BBC ) Spruell continued: "Baxter is the initial point man for that but in the end, it takes someone with Logan Campbell's clout to put that back into the financial situation in terms of investments in all kinds of stuff, whether it be fossil fuels, a new business venture or housing companies, for example." Discussing Charlie's journey in the second season, Spruell conveyed that Charlie harboured "aspirations" to transform into a "more legitimate businessman". Regarding the curious use of a Cornish tin mine as a hiding place for the Brink's-Mat gold in the series, Neil Forsyth, the show's maker, revealed that the idea stemmed from a hypothesis put forward in a feature by the Evening Standard in the 1980s. Article continues below The Gold season 2 can currently be streamed on the BBC iPlayer
South Wales Guardian
2 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Rapper Yung Filly faces two new sexual assault charges
The internet personality, real name Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, appeared before Perth District Court on Friday. In March, he pleaded not guilty to three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, one of strangulation and four counts of sexual penetration without consent. Court documents filed on Friday revealed he faced two new counts of sexual penetration without consent. No plea has been entered for the two new charges. His case was listed for a 10-day trial starting on July 20 2026. The online star has been on bail since October 2024 after allegedly sexually assaulting a woman aged in her 20s in his hotel room after he performed at a venue in Hillarys, a coastal suburb of Perth, the previous month. During his initial court hearing in October, Barrientos was granted bail with strict conditions and a personal undertaking of 100,000 Australian dollars (£52,000), alongside a surety of the same amount, the PA news agency understands. Court documents revealed Barrientos pleaded guilty to a reckless driving charge on December 5. The social media star was clocked driving at more than 96mph on the Roe Highway near the Perth suburb of High Wycombe on November 17. Barrientos has appeared on several BBC shows and is known for collaborating with the YouTube collective Beta Squad. The rapper, who was on tour in Australia, has appeared for England on Soccer Aid and The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer on Channel 4. Among his other shows, he hosted BBC series Hot Property and Munya And Filly Get Chilly with comedian Munya Chawawa, a spin-off show of Freeze The Fear With Wim Hof. In 2021, he won best media personality at the Mobo Awards alongside fellow online personality Chunkz, real name Amin Mohamed.
