The Number Of Tickets Issued For Driving Illegally In Bus Lanes Has Fallen Dramatically

The number of people caught illegally driving in bus lanes has fallen by nearly 1000 tickets in September compared to August. Only 6, 151 tickets were issued in September compared to 7, 116 in August. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The number of tickets issued for stopping illegally in yellow box junctions has increased though, up from 145 issued in August to 519 in September. The camera car has also issued more tickets for parking illegally on zig zag lines around schools and parking in bus lanes. This has increased from 148 tickets in August to 437 in September. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Ramesh Patel, Cabinet Member for Transport, Planning and Sustainability said: “We have seen a steady increase in the number of people that have been caught driving illegally in bus lanes since April this year, after an initial fall before this month. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It is reassuring to see that the number of people caught driving illegally in bus lanes has taken a significant drop in September. This helps us in our aim to free up the bus lanes, so that travel by bus is more attractive and journey times improve, making it a more viable proposition for residents, visitors and commuters. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Our camera car predominantly patrols around schools, ensuring that parents don’t park on zig zag lines putting school children at risk. With the schools starting back in early September, it isn’t a surprise that the number of tickets issued has increased compared with August. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Stopping illegally in yellow box junctions blocks traffic and causes unneeded congestion. We are taking a firm line on this, with more enforcement of yellow box junctions in the pipeline. We have to make alternative transport more attractive than it is now and this will happen though investing in public transport infrastructure and technology and freeing up road space to make travel more direct and quicker. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“If you are sitting in a traffic jam on a road in your private car and you see a bus pass in a free lane, rather than complain about the fact that they have a dedicated lane, maybe think about getting the bus yourself to the destination that you want to go to. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The Local Transport Plan has set out our aspiration on improving the infrastructure for buses, in terms of more bus lanes and new cross city routes to travel. All of this will come together to make alternative transport more attractive so we can continue in our aim to bring a 50/50 modal shift between those travelling by private car and other forms of transport by 2021.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​