DRIVERS are furious after £1 MILLION in fines were dished out on one of Britain’s most expensive bus lanes.
More than 39,000 fines have been given out to people using the Canal Street bus lane in Nottingham.
BPMDrivers are fuming after they were handed £1 million in fines for using one Nottingham bus lane[/caption]
Following a rule change in 2020, drivers are banned from using the street to travel west to east and east to west across the city.
The changes have led some furious motorists to successfully appeal their fines.
Mark Golds-Jones was fined for driving through the lane even though there was only one temporary sign informing him of it at the time.
A Traffic Penalty Tribunal ruled in his favour and more signage is now in place.
The decision comes as an independent ruling in Mr Golds-Jones’s favour found that one temporary sign did not “meet the required legal standard”.
But official figures show that thousands of fines have still been handed out this year.
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From January to September 2022, £1,064,804.71 worth of fines were dished out.
Figures show that April was the most lucrative month for fines related to the bus lane, with more than 4000 penalties handed out.
But nearly 2,000 fines were eventually cancelled across the whole year.
A Nottingham City Council spokesperson said: “Changes to the road network on and around Canal Street have been heavily publicised around the city but, unfortunately, some people continue drive into the bus gate.
“However, it’s a tiny proportion of vehicles receiving a penalty charge notice (PCN) which pass through this area.”
Drivers are divided about the scale of fines handed out.
Rob Williams, 59, said: “I was done for driving in a bus lane about five years ago, I know it wasn’t on Canal Street but I do remember that I had no idea I was actually in a bus lane.
“So I found it a bit cheeky when the fine came through because I genuinely had no idea.
“Signage has got to be clear for drivers if councils are going to fine them for breaching rules.”
Andrew Martinovs, 50, said: “I know what it is like to be caught out by these things because I live in London now and I was done for driving into an ultra-low emission zone.
“That was a case where I just didn’t know the zone was coming up and it was too late so I had to turn around, and I think that’s what happens with bus lanes too.
“Even though I’m from here, whenever I regularly come to Nottingham I try to avoid driving too far into the city centre because the road layout changes every time you come.
“There are obviously a lot of fines so it does suggest perhaps there should be some more signage for drivers.”
Rob Stevenson, 57, said: “Car drivers are just an easy target and there’s bus lanes but there’s also the easy fines you get for car parking, which I’ve ended up paying before.
“I’m thinking of giving up driving altogether soon because it’s just a nightmare.
“I think whenever they are giving fines out they need to look at their signage first, and make sure that signs are fully lit at night and things like that so that drivers have got a fair chance of seeing them.”
David Williams, 61, said: “I’m not backing giving out this number of fines but the fact is that if councils were properly funded in this country, they wouldn’t have to raise money by doing things like this.
“I’ve never been fined myself but these penalties will be given out in a country obsessed with cars and obsessed with raising money from the people driving them.”
The fine for driving in a Nottingham bus lane is usually £70, though this is halved if paid within 21 days.
A large number of the fines given out have still not been paid, with more than 4,000 still outstanding.
The Nottingham City Council spokesperson added: “We have met all legal requirements for signage and gone above and beyond these, previously adding additional advisory signage since the changes were first made to provide motorists with further warning and diversions towards the Southern Relief Route.
“We keep this under constant review and have made changes following feedback from the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, which oversees PCN appeals, and we’d happily listen to any further suggestions from the public.
“Funds from fines cover the running costs of the CCTV enforcement system, with any surplus used on traffic initiatives and transport improvements across the city.”
BPMOne motorist says he may stop driving after the rule changes on Canal Street[/caption]
BPMNottingham City Council says that drivers have no good reason to complain when they are busted in the lane[/caption] Read More