Police hail '˜success' of Melton pedestrian zone operation in educating drivers but warn of furter action against offenders

This picture, taken in Wigston, Leicrester, gives an idea of what the new swing gates on Nottingham Street, High Street and King Street will look like. It should be noted this picture is not to scale and that the gates to be implemented in Melton will cover the whole entrances where the bollards used to be EMN-160215-122749001This picture, taken in Wigston, Leicrester, gives an idea of what the new swing gates on Nottingham Street, High Street and King Street will look like. It should be noted this picture is not to scale and that the gates to be implemented in Melton will cover the whole entrances where the bollards used to be EMN-160215-122749001
This picture, taken in Wigston, Leicrester, gives an idea of what the new swing gates on Nottingham Street, High Street and King Street will look like. It should be noted this picture is not to scale and that the gates to be implemented in Melton will cover the whole entrances where the bollards used to be EMN-160215-122749001

A total of 26 vehicles were seen going through the pedestrian zone, with letters of advice given to 22 of these drivers and verbal advice given to the other four.

In addition 42 vehicles were witnessed contravening the Windsor Street road signs (only for buses and vehicles using it for access). Officers posted 31 letters of advice and gave verbal advice to the other 11 motorists.

The operation ran from January 16 to 31.

Pc Thomas Hamilton-Rutter, who ran the operation, said: “It was a successful exercise with officers’ main focus to educate motorists to pay attention to road signs and their full meaning to them.

“There were no repeat offenders so no traffic offence reports were issued. This confirms that officers were successful in educating drivers.

“The message to motorists is to confirm to the orders. Officers will now be enforcing any vehicles located and dealing with them appropriately.”

As previously reported in the Melton Times town centre managers are still considering options for traffic barriers to be re-introduced at town centre entrances, restricting vehicular access to pedestrianised areas.

Melton Council agreed last year for swing gate barriers to be installed at the gateway entrances in Nottingham Street, High Street and King Street - where the traffic bollards used to be - to restrict vehicular access between 10am and 4pm from Monday to Saturday.

The council said the padlocked gates would be ‘universally accessible’ to all emergency services, so as to avoid any repeat incidents of emergency vehicles not being able to attend incidents quickly in the town centre.

In June last year the council also agreed to an ‘immediate short-term and then periodic’ increase in resources towards illegal parking enforcement in Market Place on Tuesdays and Saturdays.