Drivers to be fined for late-night town-centre driving

Police are warning drivers that from later this month there will be no more warnings for those who ignore the signs on Clumber Street and Leeming Street.

Due to the busy night-time economy of both streets, they are closed to the unauthorised vehicles on a Friday and Saturday night after 11pm.

Warning signs and barriers are placed at the side of the road but many motorists still continuing to ignore them.

From October 28 onwards, they will face penalty points and a fine.

Inspector Nick Butler, district commander for Mansfield, told the Chad: “The message is simple, do not drive down there after 11pm on a weekend because there will be officers out there enforcing this.

“Just avoid that area, there are other ways around town and if you arrange to pick people up arrange it for somewhere else.

“It’s a very busy area at times, weekends in particular, and a number of buses that travel down there, but there are vehicles that are continually contravening the traffic regulation order (TRO).

“The bus companies are really concerned because there are vehicles that are triple parking so they can pick people up.

“The people will soon be given a fixed penalty notice and three points, no ifs or buts.

“It’s obvious the roads are closed because there are barriers there.”

Under the legislation, only buses, taxis and other licenced vehicles are permitted to drive along those streets after 11pm on a weekend.

The road has a number of late-licence pubs and nightclubs and attracts thousands of drinkers every week, many of which do end up worse for wear and often wandering onto the road when leaving a club.

“We are not just trying to catch people out,” added Insp Butler.

“This TRO is something has been in place for a number of years, but we’re now going to start enforcing it if people are not prepared to adhere to it.

“There was a serious injury caused to a person down there earlier this year so people need to start taking notice.”