18,000 are caught driving in Walsall's bus lanes
More than 18,000 drivers have been fined for illegally using bus lanes in a Black Country borough in almost a year – potentially raking in more than £500,000.
Motorists have been snapped by Walsall Council's specially-equipped camera car, introduced as part of a crackdown to stop them clogging up routes around Walsall. After an initial amnesty period when the crackdown was launched last summer the £60 fines, which are halved if paid within 14 days, were brought in from September and have been catching motorists out ever since.
Between then and the end of July, 18,407 fines were issued, figures have showed. There have so far been 713 successful appeals by motorists.
If all drivers paid within the initial fortnight it would have generated at least £500,000, although the council has insisted it is not a money-making scheme.
The aim is to stop queue jumpers clogging up bus lanes and slowing down and hampering public transport in Somerfield Place, Willenhall, and Wolverhampton Road West, Bentley, and around the town centre in Lichfield Street and St Paul's Street.
Transport chief councillor Adrian Andrew said today the aim of the bus lane fines was not to make a profit.
Money collected is used to cover the scheme and other highways costs.
He said: "It is simply to keep the bus lanes clear that we have installed to help public transport," he said. "It is a regional thing and and I think we were the last borough to introduce it."
The launch of the mobile camera vehicle to film drivers was introduced a year later than first planned. This was blamed on technical glitches.
After the penalty charges were brought in the council said it was only introduced due to the high number of bus lane contraventions within Walsall, leading to unnecessary delays for bus operators and service users.
A statement on the council's website says: "Bus lanes are easy to identify. Their boundaries are clearly marked with a solid white line and appropriate wording, which appear a number of times along each lane.
"Signs ahead of the bus lanes clearly state times when they are in operation.
"Every driver in the borough is responsible for making sure they comply with all traffic regulations. Using a sat-nav is not an accepted excuse. If in doubt, stay out."
