Bus lane blitz as motorists are hit with £60 fines if caught on camera

Apr 26 2012 By Ben Spencer

DRIVERS who nip into bus lanes risk £60 fines in a scheme that started on Monday.

Last month, the council started a four-week public awareness campaign, in which warning letters were sent to anyone driving on the lanes.

But from Monday anyone caught illegally driving in a bus lane by enforcement cameras risks a £60 penalty charge.

The move comes after the council took over responsibility for enforcing the city’s bus lanes.

The council will use cameras with automatic number plate recognition.

They check if vehicles in bus lanes are on the approved list of registration numbers.

If a driver is found to be illegally driving in a bus lane, a charge notice will be automatically sent to the vehicle’s registered keeper by the council, along with digital photos.

Drivers who feel they have been wrongly fined can appeal to an independent adjudicator.

Brian Devlin, executive director of Land and Environmental Services, said: “The minority of drivers who abuse bus lanes are inconsiderate.

“Not only do they inconvenience others and cause frustration, they also threaten the safety of
pedestrians, cyclists and other road users.

“We believe civil enforcement will help lower the number of offences in Glasgow, improve the flow of traffic on congested stretches and improve the reliability of bus journeys on some key routes.”

Mr Devlin insisted the move was not a money-making scheme.