Council warns motorists over extra security cameras as fines raise nearly £1m

FINES totalling almost £1m have been dished out to motorists in Portsmouth for driving in bus lanes '“ and the city council has warned that more cameras are on the way.

Portsmouth City Council will install more security cameras on bus lanes in a bid to cut down on illegal driving across the city.

The decision was made on Thursday, after new figures revealed that the council had made just under £1m as a result of issuing penalty charge notices.

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From December 2015 to this June, a total of 32,085 fines have been issued across five bus lane cameras.

Councillor Simon Bosher, cabinet member for transport gave the green light to expand the number in order to fully eradicate the issue.

He said: ‘It all comes down to the bottom line that if you drive in a bus lane you are breaking the law.

Those who drive in bus lanes are charged £60, or £30 if it is paid within 40 days.

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The number of fines mean that the minimum amount the council has raised – without taking into account cancelled fines – would be £962,550.

Cllr Bosher said: ‘It is not about the revenue for us.

‘It is about ensuring that we stop people from breaking the law.’

Liberal Democrat councillor Darren Sanders backed the introduction of more cameras.

He said: ‘In regards to bus lanes, camera enforcement helps ensure the flow of the city’s traffic.’

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Motorist Simon Wilson, from Fratton, said: ‘I didn’t know the council had made that much from them.

‘I’ve never been caught but know someone who has.

‘I do wonder what services benefit from these fines – and in busy times it would be nice for the council to open up the bus lanes to cut congestion.

‘This could work with the bus lane on the M275.

‘It would be good to open it up to traffic instead of fining people.’

Sophie Read, who lives in Portsmouth, said: ‘I haven’t been caught because I am petrified of the cameras.

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‘I know someone who has and it is a hefty fine bearing in mind we pay enough in road tax as it is – congestion in the city is bad enough with the traffic light rescheduling that’s going on.’

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