Transport chief pondering national bus lane shake-up
COUNCILS could be told to redesign roads where bus lane cameras catch huge amounts of drivers under plans proposed by the Transport Secretary to stop motorists being harvested for fines.
Newcastle’s John Dobson Street is believed to have one of the most lucrative bus lane cameras in Britain.
Between February 23 and October 31, 2016, it caught 62,975 motorists driving through the northbound bus lane. Newcastle City Council suspended the camera last year.
But the Transport Secretary has promised a shake-up on bus lane fines to make it fairer for motorists
In a letter, Chris Grayling said the AA’s concerns that councils are exploiting bus lane cameras for financial gain “merit further consideration”.
He added: “I have therefore asked my officials to begin a major update to the Department’s guidance on bus lane enforcement, with a view to making a number of recommendations to local authorities on fair, balanced, best practice enforcement.”
The Department for Transport (DFT) is considering asking councils to keep records of fines and redesign layouts for bus lanes on lucrative stretches.
Other measures include advising authorities to issue warning letters instead of fines to motorists caught for the first time and telling councils not to issue penalties to drivers travelling in lanes when buses are not running.
The DfT also recommends asking councils not to issue fines within the first four weeks of a camera operating. Currently, there is a two-week grace period.