POLICE in Cirencester have been stopping drivers trying to enter Cricklade Street during restricted hours to educate them about the rules in place as they look to start fining drivers.

Since January, residents have expressed concerns about the number of cars driving into the street, which is supposed to be closed to vehicles from 9.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Saturday.

In order to start enforcing the restrictions, police have been patrolling the junction between Market Place and Cricklade Street in an effort to educate drivers.

Officers have been manning the junction for up to two hours per day, for the last 12 days, and said they have caught one car every few minutes trying to turn into the street during restricted hours.

Leaflets were handed out to drivers who were stopped and were placed on vehicles parked in the street.

But it will not be long before drivers are fined £50 for entering the street during restricted times.

In previous years, blue badge holders had not been prevented from accessing and parking in Cricklade Street during restricted times and were not aware that the rules applied to them.

The only exemptions to the restriction are vehicles delivering to shops within Cricklade Street.

Sergeant Garrett Gloyn, who patrolled the Cricklade Street junction this morning, said: “The advice we give drivers that we stop is to plan their journey better and pay attention to road signs. People need to get used to the new traffic priorities.

“The number of vehicles coming in is decreasing but there are still vehicles using the street when we are not here.

“We do not want to ticket drivers but if that is what it is going to take, then we will do it.

“There are a fair proportion of drivers we have stopped who are blue badge holders who are in the habit of using Cricklade Street for years.

“Some are people who are not local and are not familiar with the area. Maybe their sat nav is telling them they should go this way but the signs are here so people need to pay attention to them.

“And then there are the local people who are just ignoring the signs.

“But I am pleased that there are not loads of cars coming down Cricklade Street.”

Residents have argued that since Castle Street was made one-way heading towards Market Place as part of the regeneration scheme, some drivers are using the street to get out of the town instead of following a much longer route via Dollar Street as an alternative.

A copy of the leaflets police are handing out to drivers in Cricklade Street:

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard: