Pressure group speaks out as Belfast bus lane fines revealed

The TaxPayers’ Alliance further warned that motorists should not be used to “fill black holes” in budgets.

Cameras used to catch motorists driving in bus lanes generated £2,729,021 in the 15 months until August 31, 2016.

One camera, situated at Donegall Square East in Belfast, is responsible for nearly 18,000 penalties and a total of £975,000 in fines.

Another, in Castle Street, is responsible for over 14,000 penalties and over £700,000-worth of fines.

The figures were released by the Department of Infrastructure under the Freedom of Information Act, the Belfast Telegraph reported.

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “People expect fines to be proportionate and only to be issued for serious transgressions which pose a danger or inconvenience to others.

“But in many cases it is hard to shake the suspicion that fines are being used increasingly as way of extracting extra revenue for local authorities.

“Authorities must avoid becoming over-reliant on fine revenue otherwise they’ll spend more time and energy simply trying to catch people out rather than seeking to encourage good behaviour on the roads.

“Motorists in particular must not be seen as ‘cash cows’ who can be used to fill black holes in budgets.”

UUP councillor Jim Rodgers said: “These bus lanes definitely have not been a success for Belfast.

“They have brought about more traffic congestion than before, and are driving people out of the capital city of Northern Ireland.”

However, Green Party councillor Ross Brown said: “Evidence shows that the bus lanes are working by incentivising people to get the bus and thus reducing traffic levels in the city.”