REVEALED: West Bromwich bus lane cameras clock up £1.6m
A notorious bus lane in West Bromwich has cost drivers almost £1.6 million in fines since enforcement cameras were switched on.
And motorists are continuing to be caught out in New Street where an average of £65,162.50 per month was made in fines from drivers using the bus lane from December 2017 to last month.
However it is far less than the fines dished out in its first six months in operation – when the council made £157,472 per month.
A total of 64,656 fines have been issued since November 2016 – 128 every day on average.
Although the council says the number actually being fined each day has dropped.
The total of fines handed out to drivers is now up to £1,587,135.
But council bosses said the cameras have achieved what they set out to and helped reduce the number of accidents.
A Sandwell Council spokesman said: “Since the cameras were introduced we have seen a dramatic drop in the number of drivers entering the bus gate.
“The cameras have achieved what we wanted them to and the area is now much safer for pedestrians.
Congestion around the bus station has reduced, bus passengers on most routes no longer suffer the congestion delays at the bus station and the amenities of pedestrian town square are improved.
“During the five years prior to the introduction of the CCTV enforcement there were eight recorded injury accidents on New Street.
“This accident record was expected to increase following the opening of the Central Sixth college campus on New Street.
Since the start of CCTV enforcement in December 2016 there have been no further recorded injury accidents.”
The council said any income is used to help fund the cost of traffic regulation and roads maintenance.
