Drivers fork out millions for breaking traffic rules amid smart camera rollout - 'Money grabbing operation!’
44,000 drivers have been fined since 2016
PA
Motorists in a busy UK city have been fined almost £4million in traffic penalties for breaking crucial driving laws.
Southampton City Council has fined roughly 44,000 drivers more than £3.8million for using bus lanes in the region since 2016.
Drivers were caught out by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras originally installed on three bus lanes in the city.
The cameras have also been put up on five more restricted roads and outside schools to ensure drivers travel carefully and adhere to the rules.
Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailingmotoring@gbnews.uk
Drivers can be slapped with a £70 penalty for using a bus lane
PAAccording to a Freedom of Information request, Vincent's Walk bus gate punished drivers with the greatestnumber of fines, raking in over £1.3million since it was installed in 2018.
Councillor Eamonn Keogh said: “The council will only introduce new MTE [moving traffic enforcement] sites where it has evidence of a high rate of contraventions which cannot be reduced through engineering or education.
“Any new sites to be introduced will be publicly announced and displayed on signs at the relevant locations," he told the BBC.
The council also enforces no-parking zones without cameras outside of schools in the area.
Earlier this year, drivers protested the installation of a new ANPR camera being installed in Portland Terrace which has already caught more than 4,000 drivers.
The council explained at the time that people who drive through the restriction will now receive a warning notice, and on their second contravention, they will receive a fine of £70, although reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days.
It added: “Since the introduction of the bus/taxi/cycle only restriction, there has been a significant reduction in the number of vehicles on Portland Terrace; from an average of 10,000 vehicles per day down to 2,000 a day.
“However, the number of vehicles on the road is still causing delays to bus operations along the road, therefore the decision has been made to increase signage on approach roads and introduce enforcement measures for the bus/taxi/cycle-only stretch of road.”
The bus gates aim to improve bus journey times by up to 10 minutes for buses crossing the city from east to west. It also looked to reduce traffic along Portland Terrace, benefiting pedestrians and cyclists.
Taxi drivers who use the road from Central Station to the docks and city centre will benefit from the improved journey times, “as will people with mobility issues who use taxis to move about the city”.
However, the increased fines have prompted angry drivers to take to social media to share their outrage, with one saying: “There was no need to close the road to cars.”
“Just another anti-car, greedy, money-grabbing operation. Just like when the inevitable congestion charge comes in.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
The bus gate cameras were introduced in 2016
SOUTHAMPTON CITY COUNCIL
“Then cars will stop coming into the city and the council will increase council tax even higher to make up for the loss of income from car parking. Greed and corruption.”
Someone else shared: “Satnavs are still directing people through. Luckily, I’m aware of the change but I can see those that aren’t local how they’re getting caught out.”