Fuming motorists are complaining that their cars are being damaged and written off after being caught in a controversial bus lane trap.<br /><br />Dozens of motorists have found their cars stuck in the bus lane despite signs warning them not to enter it.<br /><br />The trap is located at the junction of Station Road and Harrison Way in St Ives, Cambs and is designed to prevent vehicles driving onto the busway.<br /><br />The pit in the road is wide enough that small vehicles fall into it but small enough that larger-diameter-wheeled vehicles, such as buses, may pass.<br /><br />But some locals are now complaining that the trap is a hazard with up to five motorists getting stuck every week.<br /><br />The daughter of a motorist recently caught in the trap, who wishes to remain anonymous, says the incident has left both her parents “shaken and traumatised”. <br /><br />Their vehicle was seriously damaged in the drop, and they are finding out if it is repairable or a write off. <br /><br />She claims her father was one of five drivers who ended up in the trap last week.<br /><br />He is in his 80s, but she insists he is a competent driver who misunderstood the exit signs leading out of a car park <br /><br />She said: "He somehow ended up back in the same car park again. <br /><br />"He said the signage was poor and if he exited the same way, he’d end up doing the same thing. <br /><br />“So he went a different way and ended up in the car trap.<br /><br />“We know of someone in their 20s who has also gone into the trap – you can't argue this is because of my father’s age. <br /><br />“Considering the number of incidents, there must be another way to manage the junction that doesn't cause this much damage to vehicles.” <br /><br />Philippa Parker drove into the trap which, she claims, was full of weeds last summer and complained to the council.<br /><br />She also argues poor signposting leading up to the trap is what led to the incident.<br /><br />Philippa, from Wiltshire, said: “The signs were totally inadequate. <br /><br />“Motorists were driving up to the junction while we were waiting for the recovery. <br /><br />“If we weren’t there, they would’ve made the same mistake. <br /><br />“The abuse and awful language people were shouting as they passed us was also shocking. <br /><br />“It left us with a very bad impression of St Ives afterwards.”<br /><br />However, Cambridgeshire County Council said last month it is only aware of 60 incidents of vehicles caught in the trap since it opened 12 years ago. <br /><br />It also says the warnings, such as signage, currently in place are adequate.<br /><br />Cllr Kevin Reynolds from Cambridgeshire County Council has admitted he has little sympathy for the drivers who get stuck. <br /><br />He said: “If people driving along that road cannot see a big hole in the ground in front of them then I would argue they wouldn’t be able to see a small child. <br /><br />“I would question whether they should be behind the wheel at all...”
