Bus gate generates £1m in fines in three months

There had been an initial grace period after the bus gate went live on 21 May

Fines totalling more than £1 million have been handed to motorists in three months following the introduction of a city's controversial bus gate.

It was installed six months ago on Corporation Street in Preston by Lancashire County Council (LCC) in a bid to reduce traffic at peak times and allow buses right of way.

But it has not been without issues, as initially drivers flouted the new rules, causing congestion that meant Preston Bus had to divert its vehicles away from the gate and on to other routes.

An LCC spokesperson said any money generated by fines "go into the countywide highways budget".

The gate gives buses priority in both directions on Corporation Street

Buses, Hackney taxis and cyclists can use the bus gate, but cars and private hire taxis cannot.

It gives buses priority in both directions on Corporation Street between Marsh Lane and Heatley Street in Preston near the university campus.

One passenger, who uses the bus regularly, said: "I think that it doesn’t add anything, if anything it’s made things worse.

"I’m waiting for a bus now, it’s nearly 15 minutes late and it seems to be a regular thing that happens."

Thomas Calderbank, commercial manager at Rotala, which owns Preston Bus, said: "Bus journeys are a little bit slower now that we no longer have access to Friargate and that’s unfortunate but it’s the ambition of the city to improve the pedestrian links up to the university and it wouldn’t be right of us to stand in the way of that."

Figures from the authority show that 36,135 fines have been issued so far, with 26,627 paid to date.

Fines are £70, discounted to £35 if paid within two weeks and have so far netted LCC £968,415, with some still outstanding.

There had been an initial grace period after the bus gate went live on 21 May, with the council sending out fines from 25 June.

A spokesman for LCC said: "Any funds generated go into countywide highways budget that the council has to improve the highway network, including introducing safety schemes and filling potholes."