Bus-ted! 4,000 caught out by new Wolverhampton bus lane cameras

But the drivers will not have to pay as they were caught in a grace period and sent warning letters instead of £60 penalties.

The figures come as fines on the three new routes in Wolverhampton came into force this week.

From now on, anyone caught driving in the three new bus lanes will face the penalty.

• FULL MAP of every bus lane and camera in Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton council confirmed around 4,000 warning letters have been sent out following the installation of the new cameras on November 30 ahead of enforcement beginning today.

The new cameras are in place at Pipers Row between Berry Street and Railway Drive, Market Street between Bilston Street and Tower Street and Stafford Street between Fox's Lane and Cannock Road.

They form an extension of the council scheme which is already in place in six locations.

Deputy council leader Councillor Peter Bilson, said: "Since we installed the first phase of bus lane cameras in the summer, the number of people breaking the law has dropped dramatically. Far fewer people are now driving in bus lanes which means buses can now get to their destinations more swiftly without getting stuck behind vehicles that shouldn't be there.

"We always said we would introduce bus lane enforcement in phases to ensure the scheme was working. It is obvious from the figures that it is having the desired effect.

"We are now rolling out the second phase and we hope it will have a similar effect in these locations, too. As we've always said, this is about enforcing the law and not catching anyone out." The £60 fines are reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days.

Councillor Steve Evans, cabinet member for city environment, added: "We have seen something like an 87 per cent decrease of people abusing bus lanes.

"It is not a money-maker, we are not there to catch motorists out, it is there to make sure that the buses and that people can move around our city freely."

When the first set of cameras were introduced last year, more than 6,000 motorists were snapped in the first month of operation, resulting in fines of more than £360,000. A total of 6,013 drivers were handed penalties for driving in the bus lanes between June 15 and July 18.

In the week starting June 15, 1,467 tickets were handed out, the week starting June 22, had 1,582 and 812 were dished out in the week of June 26.In the week starting July 6, 1,213 fines were given to drivers and in the week of July 13, it was 939.

The first cameras installed are in Willenhall Road, Stafford Street, Wolverhampton Road, Wednesfield Road and Cleveland Street.