DRIVERS who flouted bus lane rules in Colchester were handed more than £1 million in fines by council bosses in the space of just two years.

Data from a Freedom of Information request shows Essex Highways received £1,075,648 in fines from the bus gates in North Hill and at Hythe Station in 2018 and 2019.

More fines were issued to drivers using both bus gates in 2018 compared to last year.

In North Hill, the amount raised from drivers caught last year, £161,000, dropped by roughly a third from the year before when it was £241,000.

The Hythe gate brought in £359,000 income in 2018, compared with £315,000 last year.

Across Essex, County Hall issued a total of 110,637 bus lane fines in 2018, with this figure dropping to 70,072 in 2019.

Kevin Bentley, Essex County Council’s infrastructure boss, said bus gates were about “compliance rather than income”.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette:

  • Essex Highways boss Kevin Bentley

He said: “Success for the council would be to issue no fines at all, because then people were not contravening the restrictions but instead being more thoughtful about their journeys and the routes they take.

“Much work has been done to increase signage at all junctions leading to bus gates in Essex and its possible this work is having an effect, bringing down the amount of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued at bus gates in Colchester.”

Mr Bentley said bus gates were necessary to improve the journey time and reliability of buses and were a key part of the council’s push to get cars off the road and improve air quality in Essex.

He said: “Bus gates also benefit cyclists, as cyclists are able to use bus gates, opening up traffic free cycle routes which encourage people to use their bicycles, which improves public health and air quality.

“These aims of the council to improve air quality and public health by encouraging active travel are reflected in the national picture, with the Prime Minister recently announcing £2bn of funding for active travel to improve public health.”

Cash received from bus gate fines is ring-fenced for public transport and road improvements.

County Hall wants drivers to sign up to its new Stop. Swap. Go! scheme.

Visit stopswapgo.co.uk/get-started.