53,000 FAIL TO PAY BUS LANE FINES
AROUND 17,000 drivers a year are not paying fines for using bus lanes, the Evening Times can reveal.
Figures obtained show more than 53,000 fines have been passed to debt recovery officers in three years.
So far this year, there have been almost 32,000 bus lane fines, with just under 2000 passed on to debt collectors for recovery.
MORE than 53,000 bus lane fines have been passed on to debt recovery officers in just over three years – with motorists in Glasgow failing to meet the payment deadline.
Figures obtained by the Evening Times show drivers are not paying the penalty on time for entering a bus lane.
Last year, 108,735 bus lane fines were issued – and 16,148 were passed on debt recovery.
In 2016, 119,886 bus lane fines were processed – and 17,267 went to debt recovery.
In 2015, 131,310 bus lane fines were handed out, with 17,913 going to debt recovery.
This year, there have been 31,948 bus lane fines, with 1937 so far passed to debt recovery... taking the total for those 3½ years to 53,265.
Glasgow City Council issues a £60 charge notice when a motorist enters a bus lane but accepts a reduced charge of £30 if it receives payment within 14 days. Drivers are also given the right to appeal against the charge notice within 28 days.
The council says on its website: “If payment remains outstanding 28 days after a charge notice has been issued or after an appeal or representation has been refused, we may issue a charge certificate increasing the penalty by a further 50 per cent of the original charge.
“Upon the issue of a charge certificate, your right of appeal has been removed. If the notice remains unpaid, it may be passed to our debt recovery agent for further action.”
The Evening Times has previously reported on the case of private ambulance owner Marshall Carr, who was forced to pay an inflated bus lane fine after fighting with the city council for two years. He i ncurred the penalty by entering the bus lane in Cathedral Street to move a body for the police.
His company MGC Reparation Services had to admit defeat over the dispute when sheriff officers turned up at the door demanding £169.
The AA has launched a campaign titled Caught In The Trap against bus lane fines and urges local authorities to consider issuing a warning letter to first-time bus lane offenders.
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said: “It is disconcerting that more than 50,000 cases have been handed on to debt recovery firms over a 3½-year period.
“A bus lane infringement is often made by mistake, and it could be argued Glasgow City Council is profiteering from innocent mistakes.
“The overall number of bus lane fines issued is also staggering. The AA’s campaign also calls for councils to stop issuing fines if a bus lane is consistently issuing penalty notices and see if additional signage or a new road layout is required to improve compliance. We hope the councillors take up this initiative soon.”
A council spokesman said: “The onus is upon motorists to follow the roads’ regulations, which includes payment of any relevant fines.”