Drivers hit with 40,000 fines in three month spell
Drivers in Northern Ireland racked up nearly 40,000 parking and bus lane fines over the course of the first three months of this year, new figures show.
The Department of Infrastructure at Stormont released figures detailing the number of fines in the first quarter of 2018 on Thursday.
24,154 on-street parking tickets were issued, as well as 9,129 off-street tickets, and 5,208 bus lane and bus only street tickets.
Drivers in Belfast, perhaps unsurprisingly, accounted for a much greater number of fines than anywhere else.
Nearly half of all on-street parking fines (46%) were given to Belfast drivers, along with all of the bus lane and bus-only street fines.
Around three quarters of bus lane fines were at three locations, namely Great Victoria Street (32%), Donegall Square East (29%), and College Square East (15%).
Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn Roberts said the number of fines is having “a clear and negative impact on shoppers”.