Council nets bus lane fine cash

The council has made more money than expected in fines

A Berkshire council has earned more than £600,000 in fines from drivers caught using bus lanes in Reading.

Reading Borough Council started using cameras to enforce bus lane regulations a year ago and caught 23,290 drivers.

It has made at least £58,225 in bus lane fines each month, but first estimated it would net £10,000 a month.

The cash was used to fund concessionary bus passes for the disabled and elderly. The fine if paid in 14 days, is £30, otherwise it is the full £60.

Unintelligent system

Nigel Humphries, spokesman for the Association of British Drivers, said he was astonished at how much money Reading council was taking.

He said that, in his experience, people usually pay more notice and have more respect for bus lanes than any other traffic enforcement measure.

However, he suggested that motorists might be getting caught by an automated enforcement system which cannot distinguish between a violation of the law and an innocent crossing of the lane.

According to Mr Humphries, some motorists may make a left turn across a bus lane and get caught on camera or may have used the lane to overtake another vehicle but did not block the path of any bus.

Reading Borough Council introduced camera bus lane enforcement in Reading in September 2006, making it the first council outside London to take up the powers.