Bus lane fines more than doubled across the North East and North Yorkshire in just five years, netting councils nearly £8 million in income.

The Northern Echo asked local authorities how many fines they’d issued to motorists caught in bus lanes – and just how much they’d earned as a result.

Responses suggest that bus lane cameras across the region netted an average income of around £1.5 million a year between 2017 and 2021.

During that time, Newcastle City Council issued a staggering 125,437 penalty charge notices and raked in more than £3 million thanks to its bus lane cameras – the highest known amounts in the region.

The council also has responsibility for the camera that caught out the most motorists in that time – and it’s the one on the Tyne Bridge slip road.

Read more: What did the North East's councils have to say about bus lane fines?

However, after becoming active in 2020, a camera on Askew Road in Gateshead looks likely to become the region’s most profitable – nearly 32,000 PCNs were linked to it just last year.

It helped the authority earn more than £1.1 million from bus lane fines in 2021 alone, up 80% on the year before.

The Northern Echo:

Askew Road, Gateshead

Marc Morley, service director for Highways and Waste at Gateshead Council, said the average number of PCNs issued on Askew Road represented less than 1% of the journeys seen on the road.

He said revenue generated either paid for the costs of bus lane enforcement or was reinvested into the area’s transport infrastructure.

Mr Morely added: “We are as fair as possible in the operation of bus lanes.

“There are prominent signs and road markings in place to inform drivers.”

The notorious Askew Road camera contributed to Gateshead’s council earning the most from bus lane fines last year, with Durham County Council raking in the second highest amount in the region at more than £730,000.

Newcastle earned nearly half a million pounds in 2021 while York took in more than £180,000, South Tyneside earned over £160,000 and Middlesbrough’s council received nearly £50,000.

That yearly income came after more than 113,000 fines were issued – among more than 330,000 sent to motorists in just five years, according to responses from seven councils to The Northern Echo’s Freedom of Information request.

Councils across the North East told the Echo that bus lane enforcement assisted with local authority efforts to address the dominance of car traffic and shift the balance away from private vehicles towards alternative modes of transport.

Dave Lewin, Durham County Council's strategic traffic manager said deterring bus lane misuse also helps to improve bus journey times and increases reliability of bus services.

He added: "When camera enforcement is implemented, every effort is made to advise drivers in advance including through the distribution of information packs to nearby residents and businesses and putting up signs. 

"Warning letters instead of penalty notices are also issued for a period of time following the introduction of the measures to allow people to get used to the new arrangements."

He added that all income is reinvested in managing the county's road network and providing subsidised transport for those reliant on public transport.

The Northern Echo:

Brian Gregory

Brian Gregory from the Alliance of British Drivers said there had been a “plethora of cameras” introduced across the region in recent years.

Mr Gregory believes bus lane enforcement increases, rather than cuts, the risk of congestion and accidents on the roads.

He said: “They should take away bus lanes and widen the roads up so traffic flows more freely, there’d be less accidents and less pollution as it would prevent stop start traffic.”

He said motorists were regularly being caught out by unexpected lane changes and confusing signage, adding: “There is no question in my mind that councils are using these cameras as income generators.”

However, a spokeswoman for Newcastle City Council told the Echo that income from bus lane penalties is ring-fenced and can only be used for highways improvements.

Between 2017 and 2021, the top five PCN-generating cameras were:

  • Tyne Bridge slip road, Newcastle – 58,069 fines issued (between 2017 and 2021)
  • Quarryheads Lane, Durham – 51,229 fines issued (between 2020 and 2021) - now closed
  • Askew Road, Gateshead – 47,520 (between 2020 and 2021)
  • South Shore Road, Gateshead – 23,332 (between 2019 and 2021)
  • Coppergate, York – 22,505 (between 2017 and 2021)