Newcastle's Neville Street bus lane restrictions come into force

Cameras installed in 2016 are now being used to monitor motorists on Newcastle's Neville Street

Bus lane restrictions outside Newcastle's Central Station have finally come into force.

Cameras monitoring Neville Street and its junction with Westgate Road were installed in 2016.

However, Newcastle City Council delayed enforcement while it awaited a court verdict over similar restrictions on John Dobson Street.

Until March, drivers will receive a warning letter for their first breach with repeat offenders fined up to £70.

Once the five-month grace period has ended, all contraventions will result in fines, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

'Fundamental negligence'

The council said the measures were needed to "ensure the smooth and efficient running of the bus network on one of the busiest routes for buses in the city".

All income from penalties would be put back into public transport improvements, it added.

In 2020, the Traffic Penalty Tribunal ruled the council was guilty of "fundamental negligence" by failing to properly inform drivers of the John Dobson Street bus lane, prompting the local authority to offer to refund £2.5m worth of tickets.

More than 90,000 fines were issued for driving in the bus lane during the camera's first stint between February 2016 and June 2017, when it became the most lucrative camera in England.

Enforcement started on the northbound lane there again last year after transport officials installed new signs and road markings to make it more obvious.