Fewer drivers hit with council bus lane fines

Preston remained the area where most fines were dished out – generating 29,158 charges last year

More than 5,000 fewer bus lane fines were handed out in Lancashire over the last 12 months compared to two years ago.

Figures obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service revealed that the number of penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued by Lancashire County Council for flouting bus-only rules fell from 41,501 in 2021/22 to 36,324 in 2023/24.

The most breached bus restrictions over that timeframe were in Hammerton Street in Burnley.

The lane was introduced last year and caught almost 25,000 drivers out.

City fines hotspot

Preston remained the area where most fines were dished out – generating 29,158 charges last year.

However, at six of the city's sites, the total number of PCNs issued dropped compared to 2022.

The council is yet to publish its income from bus lane fines for the 2023/24 financial year.

However, the authority said it received an average of £35 for each PCN issued.

The standard bus lane fine is £70, but it is halved if the charge is paid within 21 days.

The standard bus lane fine in Lancashire is £70, but it is halved if the charge is paid within 21 days

In 2022/23, £1.8m worth of bus lane PCNs were issued by the county council.

However, fines totalling £233,000 were cancelled, while a further £122,000 worth were deemed "unrecoverable" even after the potential involvement of bailiffs.

Peter Bell, the authority's regulation and enforcement manager, said: “We would be happy if everyone followed the rules and we never had to issue a penalty.

“We have always expected income from bus lane enforcement to fall over time as people’s awareness of them increases.”