Doncaster Council issued more than 3,500 bus lane fines and collected more than £75,000 in one month

Doncaster Council issued more than 3,500 bus lane fines in just a single month – but the majority of those who appealed had their penalty rescinded, new data has shown.
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The council itself issued 3,539 fines and collected more than £75,000 in revenue during the month of December 2018.

But in the same period, 80 per cent of the 628 drivers who appealed had their penalty scrapped.

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Only drivers in Sandwell, West Midlands, had better luck than Doncaster in the whole country – just more than 85 per cent of those bus lane appeals were successful.

Bus lane in WaterdaleBus lane in Waterdale
Bus lane in Waterdale

Council bosses said the high number was down to the implementation of new bus lanes - understood to be at Waterdale and Cleveland Street.

Doncaster Council transport bosses initially turned on the cameras at the two locations in October 2018 and started issuing warning letters, before they would start fining people in November.

Figures show they sent out 8,000 warning letters, with one motorist receiving 29 in the four-week period.

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The council operates six bus lanes, which include those at Waterdale, North Bridge Road, Cleveland Street, Bennetthorpe, Booth Avenue, outside The Dome and York Road, close to Morrisons supermarket.

Bus lane in Cleveland StreetBus lane in Cleveland Street
Bus lane in Cleveland Street

Restrictions are in force 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The penalty for contravening a bus lane is £60. Penalties can be reduced to £30 if they are paid within 14 days. Drivers have the right to appeal.

Any net income generated by the penalty charge notices is ring-fenced in law to be spent on highway improvements, including provisions for public transport.

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Coun Chris McGuinness, cabinet member for communities, voluntary sector and the environment, said: “The reason why the appeal success rate for December 2018 is 80 per cent is because we’d only just implemented the bus gates a few months prior.

Bus lane in WaterdaleBus lane in Waterdale
Bus lane in Waterdale

“In line with operational guidance for bus lane enforcement, our parking services team operated a grace period, sending warning letters instead of fines, to help educate motorists rather than penalise them in the first instance.

“This is why the waiving of fines is higher in this period.”