MORE than 40 cameras could be installed around Brighton and Hove to get the city’s traffic moving more smoothly.

The city council is proposing to replace three existing cameras and buy 21 new ones with the option of buying a further 20 later.

Transport bosses say the cameras will “massively improve” the council’s capacity to manage and monitor the city’s busy road network, allowing the traffic control team to respond better to congestion or incidents by potentially altering traffic lights phasing to ease tailbacks.

The cameras would also mean greater powers to tackle illegal driving in bus lanes.

The number of fines given out for the offence tripled in 2016/17 with 16,700 fines issued in 12 months but that number could rise still higher, which will require more staff to administer and will also help pay for the camera’s maintenance.

In total the five-year contract will cost more than £700,000 with £270,000 from the local enterprise partnership with around £50,000 from the council to pay for the cameras, which would be up and running in April.

Councillor Gill Mitchell, transport committee chairwoman, said: “The extra cameras are part of a move to use new technology to improve the transport network for residents, businesses and visitors.”

The project is set to be approved later today.