Traffic cameras bring in more than £3.8m in fines

The income generated from fines on Shirley Road has been more than £1.2m since 2016

City drivers caught by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras have paid out more than £3.8m, the Local Democracy Reporting Service has learned.

A Freedom of Information request shows that Southampton City Council's eight fixed ANPR cameras have caught 138,455 motorists since the first sites went online eight years ago.

Penalty charge notices (PCNs) have been issued for driving in bus lanes, travelling in restricted roads and stopping on zigzag lines outside schools.

The bus lane in Shirley Road accounts for the most PCNs - more than 44,902.

The recently introduced bus gate camera in Portland Terrace has already racked up more than 4,000 unauthorised vehicles

The site has also amassed the biggest income - £1,211,041 since going live in 2016.

A bus gate at Vincent’s Walk, which went live two years after Shirley Road, has caught 44,078 drivers.

Of the cameras enforcing zigzag line restrictions outside schools, the Ludlow Infant/Junior site recorded the most drivers, with 1,363 PCNs issued.

A bus gate introduced in Portland Terrace in late February has already caught more than 4,000 unauthorised vehicles.

Southampton ANPR cameras

PCNs cost £70 but are reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days.

Local authority forecasts suggested the current ANPR enforcement sites, as well as the moving traffic enforcement (MTE), would bring in £3.07m over the next five years.

If a council plan to add three extra cameras was introduced, the projected figure would increase to about £4.4m.

Eamonn Keogh, cabinet member for environment and transport, said the council said the surplus income received through ANPR enforcement was spent on improving highways and measures to improve public transport.

Earlier this year, a report to cabinet said three additional locations could be introduced.

“The council will only introduce new MTE sites where it has evidence of a high rate of contraventions which cannot be reduced through engineering or education," Mr Keogh clarified, adding that the sites would be publicly announced.

A controversial bus gate trial is set to take place in Portswood Road next year as part of a major highways scheme.

The city council would not disclose the cost of installing the ANPR cameras and buying the mobile enforcement vehicle, citing commercial interests.