Cash back for bus lane motorists

More than 4,500 motorists who were fined for entering a Sheffield bus lane could be in line for a refund.

The city council said it wanted to correct an "injustice" after a tribunal found confusing signage may have led drivers onto the lane during roadworks.

Some 4,640 motorists were fined up to £60 after passing onto the lane on the Wicker between 14 January and 9 March, when roadworks were in place.

The council said the income from those fines was about £110,000.

An adjudicator made references to 'chaos' and this is something we take very seriously Paul Scriven, Sheffield City Council leader

Adjudicators from the Traffic Penalty Tribunal have allowed 20 out of 23 appeals by motorists after ruling that in some cases temporary signage was not in place.

Council leader Paul Scriven said: "Now that the adjudication decisions are in, the results only confirm what we suspected, that drivers may have unwittingly passed through the Wicker bus gate due to confusing signs and intensive road works.

"An adjudicator made references to 'chaos' and this is something we take very seriously.

"Already we have implemented a policy change that means all bus and tram gate enforcement be suspended during periods when there is a large number of cones and works on the highway.

"I must stress that this is something we are looking at retrospectively to try and correct a previous injustice."

The council's cabinet will be asked to approve the refunds at a meeting in the new year.

Motorists who received fines between 14 January and 9 March would then be eligible to claim a refund.