3,000 caught driving in Wolverhampton's bus lanes in JUST one week
More than 3,000 drivers were caught by Wolverhampton's new bus lane cameras in just one week - totting up fines of £201,840.
But the 3,364 motorists snapped were in the initial grace period and sent warning letters instead of £60 penalties.
However, the fines came into force this week, meaning from now on, anyone caught driving in a bus lane will have to pay out.
Wolverhampton's regeneration boss Peter Bilson said: "The simple message is don't drive in bus lanes and you won't receive a fine."
If replicated week after week, the £201,840 seven-day fines total would equal more than £10 million a year. Although, council bosses say they expect numbers to decrease once the penalties start being dished out. They are predicting a total in the region of £250,000. The £60 fines will be reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days.
The new cameras are on Willenhall Road, Stafford Street, Wolverhampton Road, Wednesfield Road and Cleveland Street. More will be brought in on other city bus lanes in the coming months.
Councillor Peter Bilson said: "On June 1, bus lane enforcement cameras were switched on and during the first week 3,364 people were found to be driving incorrectly in them.
"For the first two weeks, we were sending warning notices to people as we accept that this is a change to the norm in Wolverhampton and we wanted to give motorists time to adjust.
"In addition to the warning notices, we have placed adverts in the local media and placed signage on the lanes themselves. We have done what we can to let people know that bus lanes in Wolverhampton are now being enforced.
"As of this week, people who continue to break the law will start to receive fines - so the simple message is don't drive in bus lanes and you won't receive a fine."
On the first day of the cameras being turned on, 682 drivers were caught.
It comes after the council took control of the bus lanes from West Midlands Police.
The local authority said the bus lanes had been 'inconsistently' policed due to priorities lying elsewhere, leading to drivers blatantly disregarding the law.
The cameras are both inbound and outbound on Willenhall Road and heading out of the city on Stafford Road between Red Hill Street Clinic and Five Ways Island
On Wolverhampton Road, the cameras watch cars coming in and out of the city, as well as inbound on Wednesfield Road where it links with Wolverhampton Road.
