West Bromwich bus lane fines bring in £2 million
More than £2 million has been brought in from a single bus lane where tens of thousands of drivers have been hit with fines.
Around 85,000 drivers have now been caught out in New Street, West Bromwich, since cameras were installed two and a half years ago.
In the six months between September 2018 and February 2019, 7,475 tickets have been issued resulting in a total of £250,345 in fines.
Sandwell Council chiefs decided to act after tens of thousands of drivers routinely ignored restrictions by driving through the bus zone, which was said to be holding up buses in the town centre.
And motorists are continuing to be caught in the bus lane, with an average of £74,900 per month made in fines from drivers using the bus lane since the cameras were installed in November 2016 up until the end of February 2019.
A total of 85,220 fines have been issued since November 2016 – 3,150 every month on average – of drivers continuing to ignore warnings not to use the bus zone.
The total of fines handed out to drivers flouting the rules is now up to £2,022,429.
Councillor David Hosell, cabinet member for highways and environment, said the cameras were important to keep pedestrians walking through the area safe. In the first six months of the camera being in operation, 48,755 motorists were fined bringing in a huge £944,832 into Sandwell Council.
Drivers who cut through the bus lane, outside New Square shopping centre and Sandwell College’s Sixth Form Centre, face fines of up to £90.
Councillor Hosell said: "The number of vehicles driving illegally through the bus gate in West Bromwich town centre continues to fall but there are still significant numbers of people who drive through the town square area.
“We are pleased that we have greatly reduced the amount of traffic coming through the square but our main priority is for motorists to simply stop ignoring the large warning signs rather than collecting money from penalty notices.
“The bus gate is important because it prevents congestion at the bus station and improves the safety of shoppers and students at the college as they walk through the town square area.
"The income from the penalty notices is used to help pay for parking services and for highway improvements."
