New cameras to catch Penzance’s traffic ban dodgers

Drive through the middle of Penzance on a weekday afternoon and, for the last few years, the rules on Market Jew Street have counted for surprisingly little. That’s about to change.

What the cameras will enforce

New cameras are going in at both ends of Market Jew Street to enforce the daytime traffic ban that has been in place since 2020. The restrictions stop cars and delivery vehicles from entering the street between 11am and 4pm, a window designed to give pedestrians and cyclists room to move around safely.

The cameras will also cover two other rules on the street: the no right turn at the junction of Adelaide Street and Market Jew Street, and the no entry restriction for all traffic except buses at the Market Place end.

The exemptions, and who still isn’t exempt

Hackney Carriage taxis will still be able to travel on the street from the Albert Street end during the restricted hours. Blue Badge holders, though, will not be exempt from the ban. There is one concession: anyone with a Blue Badge parked in the disabled bays on the street before restrictions start at 11am will be able to leave without a penalty.

Why it’s happening now

Cornwall Council brought the restrictions in as part of the Penzance Healthy Streets project, aiming to make the town centre a more pleasant place for shoppers and visitors. The problem is how many drivers have simply carried on regardless. Latest figures show up to 600 vehicles a day are still using Market Jew Street during the hours it’s meant to be closed to them.

Cllr Dan Rogerson, Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for transport, said the restrictions had “helped create a much more pleasant environment for shoppers and visitors” but that the scale of the problem created “real safety concerns.” He added that the council had consulted widely on the scheme and found strong support for making the town centre more accessible.

Sarah Shaw, manager of Penzance’s Business Improvement District, put a number on just how often it’s happening. “We have a traffic counter on Market Jew Street, and it shows that up to 600 vehicles are still flouting the restrictions,” she said. “That’s up to two every minute.”