The staggering amount of bus lane fines issued to drivers in Manchester over the year has been revealed - along with the millions of pounds of revenue collected.
Figures obtained by the Manchester Evening News show that in the last financial year, between April 2022 and April this year, Manchester council issued 216,800 Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) to unauthorised vehicles entering the bus lanes.
The revenue collected for that 12 month period from the fines was £5,532,617.89. In the previous financial year, that figure is understood to have been around £6.1m.
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The council said that Bus Lane Enforcement Reserve was established to 'hold surpluses generated from bus lane enforcement' and that the revenue is spent on public transport related activities and highways improvements.
Drivers caught in a bus lane and bus gate within Manchester council's remit are landed with a £60 fine however this is reduced to £30 if paid within two weeks. If the PCN is not paid within a 28 day period, it increases to £90.
This year, a new bus gate was introduced along Deansgate in the city centre, operating for 24-hours a day. The restrictions mean only buses, taxis and cycles can travel south between the junctions for Blackfriars to King Street West.
And drivers also risk being caught out by bus lane cameras at another recently implemented bus gate on Bridge Street, also in the city centre, westbound from Left Bank on the A34 Bridge Street to the Albert Bridge.
A spokesperson for Manchester City Council said: "In line with the Council's long-term transport strategy it is important to find ways in which public transport can be made quicker and more efficient, as well as encouraging residents to consider public transport their first choice when travelling.
"Furthermore, if Manchester is to become a zero-carbon city by 2038 it is imperative that as many people as possible are encouraged to use more sustainable methods of travel such as walking, wheeling, cycling or using public transport."
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