BRADFORD Council has raked in nearly £14.5m in bus lane fines in nine years, figures have revealed.
The data, which is published by the local authority, shows £14,423,019.10 was raised between April 2014 and May this year due to motorists driving in prohibited lanes.
Drivers paid out nearly £2.3m in fines between April 2015 and March 2016 – the highest figure in the nine-year period.
Around £820,000 was paid out during the pandemic, but that figure soared back up to more than £1.3m per year as society opened back up and roads became busier.
The figure stands at nearly £460,000 for the first five months of 2023.
Which bus lanes have raised the most money?
The data also shows the biggest cash cows for Bradford Council.
Bolton Road has raised more than £1.6m; Bridge Street, Broadway raked in £1.9m; Church Bank – towards Bolton Road raised almost £1.5m; Church Bank – towards Well Street raised over £1m, as did Nelson Street.
Bus lane fines currently stand at £70 and the longer people wait to pay the charge, the more it will cost.
If people pay within 21 days, the charge is reduced by 50 per cent and after that, the full charge must be paid.
There are then two other stages – a Notice To Owner and a Charge Certificate. Eventually, if payment is not made, the Council may register the charge with the Traffic Enforcement Centre and take legal action.
Could there be an increase in the amount people have to pay?
Drivers have been warned they could soon see an increase in fines for driving in bus lanes as councils begin to crack down on motorists driving illegally.
Motoring experts at Snooper have urged all drivers to brush up on the Highway Code rules surrounding bus lanes to avoid penalty charge notices and hefty fines
It comes after the news that Reading and Hampshire Councils are considering increasing the penalty for drivers using bus lanes to £150.
Even driving in a bus lane for a few seconds by accident could still see motorists issued with a fine from their local Council.
All bus lanes in the UK have blue signs to show their times of operation, during which only buses can use the lanes.
If there are no times or dates displayed on the sign, drivers must be aware that the bus lane is in operation 24/7 and cannot be used at any time.
Motorists have been warned to keep an eye out for any bus lane signage signalling when other vehicles may use that lane, else they could be subject to penalty fines.
Gary Digva, from Snooper, cautioned drivers to avoid bus lanes.
He said that too many motorists are abusing bus lanes to undertake others and avoid queuing, which is why Councils are considering increasing the fine for unauthorised vehicles using them.
Mr Digva said: “It’s understandable why Councils are considering increasing the fines for those driving in bus lanes outside of authorised hours.
“Not only does it go against the Highway Code, but serious incidents can occur, all for just shaving off a couple of minutes to avoid sitting in queuing traffic.
“It’s frustrating to see an open lane to the left of you completely free of any buses or other vehicles whilst you have to wait - but bus lanes are there for a reason. Not only to prioritise bus schedules but to also allow emergency services to
travel through quickly.
“With the news that the fine for driving through bus lanes could be increased across the country, drivers do need to remain aware of the rules for when they can and can’t do so.
“Always watch out for a blue sign along the lane telling you the authorised days and hours when cars are able to use the bus lane. Remember that if there are no times displayed on the sign then the bus lane is operational at all hours.
“And if you’re still not sure it’s advisable to stay outside the bus lane until you can fully confirm the authorised times - even if you see others doing so.”
People are 'paying more attention' to cameras
Bradford Council said its figures show a general reduction in bus lane penalty charge notices and this “shows that most drivers across the district are paying more attention to bus lane restrictions, as well as being more attentive of cameras”.
A spokesperson said: “The income from Penalty Charge Notices pays the cost of enforcement. This includes the administration staff involved in collecting the fines, maintenance of signs and lines and other associated costs.
“Any surplus remaining after deduction of costs has to go towards measures to improve public transport or other highways associated improvements.”
https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/23549605.14-5m-raked-bradford-council-bus-lane-fines/
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