Wolverhampton city-centre bus lane cameras make £2.2 million in ONE YEAR

Drivers were caught in Cleveland Street, Market Street, Stafford Road, Victoria Square, Willenhall Road and Wolverhampton Road.

The figures show the revenue made by the council during the whole of 2016, with the biggest earner being the back-to-back cameras on Victoria Square, which monitor Pipers Row and Lichfield Road and took in £1,440,593.

The council refused to disclose the running costs of the cameras in a Freedom of Information request, but did reveal the cameras had not been offline at any point during 2016.

Former mayor and councillor for the Spring Vale ward, Malcolm Gwinnett, called the figures and bus-lane system ‘barmy’.

He said: “The council is driving motorists away from the city. It is a nightmare to get in and around the city centre and first time drivers into our city it’s absolute torture.

“I can easily understand why people get caught, it’s a very ill-thought out scheme and it is a money maker.

"The council are limiting where people can drive, there needs to be a logical plan, it’s barmy. Better signage is needed and they need to do a proper campaign explaining where people can and can’t go.

“There needs to be a plain speaking map for people that the council issue and to publish for people as most people don’t realise where they can go.

“Some people take a wrong turn, turnaround and find they’ve got a fine, it’s a money making scheme. There are some people who are deliberately breaking the rules and it’s right they should be punished but we’re supposed to be a thriving city, but this just puts people off going into the city centre with a car.”

The figures showed the camera on Cleveland Street made £91,082, Market Street made £198,996, Stafford Road made £82,551, Victoria Square made £1,440,593, Willenhall Road made £189,352 and Wolverhampton Road made £142,397.

Councillor Milkinderpal Jaspal defended the cameras, saying: “All the money is re-invested into the transport system, in fact I’m in favour of increasing the fines. Unless people pay out of their own pocket they don’t learn.The signs are there and clearly marked.”

Earlier this year, the Express & Star revealed two bus lane cameras in Wolverhampton caught nearly 25,000 drivers in four months – clocking up £4,789 a day in fines.

The Victoria Square cameras were the second most lucrative in the country.

Speaking at the time, Councillor Wendy Thompson, Conservative group leader on the council, said she had received dozens of complaints about the Victoria Square bus lane camera.

She said: “Many drivers only realise that they are on a street reserved for buses when it is too late for them to turn away safely.

“This does not make for attracting more people to the city centre.”

She added: “If we are going to enforce this bus gate, it is only fair that private car drivers are warned in good time that they must not turn into Pipers Row.

“With the changes that have been taking place to the street network in that area, they may not realise there is a restriction.”