Drivers caught by city cameras pay £3.8m in fines

A bus gate camera began to operate in Portland Terrace in February

A council has collected more than £3.8m in motoring fines since it began to install automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras.

Southampton City Council set up cameras in three bus lanes in 2016.

Since then, it has added five more in restricted roads and outside schools.

The highest-earning camera, at Vincent's Walk bus gate, has brought in more than £1.3m since it was installed in 2018, a freedom of information request has revealed.

It has so far caught more than 44,000 drivers.

Councillor Eamonn Keogh, in charge of transport, said cameras helped to improve safety, reduce congestion and speed up journey times for buses and emergency vehicles.

He said profits were spent on road improvements and public transport.

The Labour cabinet member said: “The council will only introduce new MTE [moving traffic enforcement] sites where it has evidence of a high rate of contraventions which cannot be reduced through engineering or education.

“Any new sites to be introduced will be publicly announced and displayed on signs at the relevant locations.”

The council also operates a mobile enforcement vehicle and enforces no-parking zones without cameras outside Cantell School.

In January, a protest was held over a controversial bus gate trial that is set to take place in Portswood Road next year.

In February, a camera began to operate in Portland Terrace and has already caught more than 4,000 drivers.

The penalty is £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days.

ANPR cameras and number of drivers caught

• Shirley Road bus lane (set up in 2016): 44,902

• Vincent’s Walk bus gate (2018): 44,078

• New Road bus lane (2016): 26,159

• Northam Road bus lane (2016): 17,038

• Portland Terrace bus gate (2024): 4,039

• Ludlow infant/junior schools (2020): 1,363

• Foundry Lane primary school (2020): 727

• St Monica primary school (2020): 149

Source: Freedom of Information request to Southampton City Council by LDRS.