Bus lane fines reach record £41 million high

14th Nov 2018

Fines totalling a massive £41 million were accrued by UK drivers illegally straying into bus lanes last year.

A new study suggests 888,760 Penalty Charge Notices were handed out to drivers who disobeyed bus lane laws in 2017 – a rate of almost 2,500 a day.

The most fines were clocked up on a bus lane in central Oxford, accounting for £1.5 million in penalties.

The RAC says the figures are worrying, and is urging councils to ensure bus lane signage is as clear as possible.

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The study, carried out via a series of Freedom of Information requests from Confused.com, found the number of fines issued last year was up 6% from 2016.

It also revealed that certain cities hand out more fines than others, with Aberdeen and Glasgow issuing 145,408 charges between them – 16% of the UK total.

Fines for incorrectly driving in a bus lane range from £60 to £90, with drivers in London paying out £160 if caught flouting the laws, although these charges halve if paid within two weeks.

RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis said: “There is no excuse for a motorist to deliberately drive in a bus lane, such as to avoid queuing traffic, but the sheer number of fines suggests things may be awry in some cases – such as unclear signage or bus lanes running at times of day when there are no bus services, such as in the middle of the night.

“We would like councils to commit to reviewing their bus lanes, particularly those that have raised the most in fines, to check that signage is clear and that they are open only at times when traffic volumes demand it.”

Councillor Martin Tett, Transport spokesperson for the Local Government Association (LGA) says fines collected from bus lane infringements help fund local transport improvements.

He said: “Traffic enforcement cameras help to ensure public transport, such as buses and trams, operates efficiently, reduces congestion and keeps roads safe and flowing freely for road users.

“The fact that over 99 per cent of parking and bus lanes fines are not appealed clearly shows that the overwhelming majority of people who are ticketed accept that they have broken the rules.”

Copyright Press Association 2018. Motoring News articles do not reflect the RAC's views unless clearly stated.