More than 23,000 drivers in Swindon have been caught breaking bus lane rules in just one year, according to new figures from the local council.
The penalty charge notices were issued between April 2023 and April 2024 to motorists who illegally used designated bus lanes across the Wiltshire town.
According to Highway Code Rule 141, drivers should not enter bus lanes during their operational hours unless specifically permitted.
The code states: "Unless otherwise indicated, you should not drive in a bus lane during its period of operation. You may enter a bus lane to stop, to load or unload where this is not prohibited."
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The figures found a significant number of drivers ignoring clearly marked bus lanes, which are indicated by solid thick white lines and distinctive pink tarmac stretches reserved for buses, licensed taxis and other authorised vehicles.
But many of the offending motorists claimed to have missed the various signs and road markings indicating the restrictions.
The majority of violations occurred in a single area, with the Penzance Drive zones near Swindon Designer Outlet's West Car Park accounting for more than 17,000 fines.
Penzance Drive Zone 1 saw 13,761 drivers penalised for breaching bus lane restrictions. A further 3,340 motorists were caught breaking the rules in Penzance Drive Zone 2, making this stretch of road particularly problematic for enforcement.
Other hotspots include Ferndale Road which emerged as another significant area for bus lane violations, with 1,715 drivers receiving fines.
Princes Street saw 1,348 motorists penalised for breaching bus lane restrictions. The bus-only area on Cricklade Road resulted in 858 fines being issued to unauthorised vehicles.
Bristol Street recorded 684 violations, while Mazurek Way saw 621 drivers caught breaking the rules.
Ermin Street and Upham Road rounded out the major violation zones with 562 and 265 fines respectively. Camera cars also monitored restricted school zones and bus gates, with 44 drivers caught on Queens Drive and 10 on Welcombe Avenue.
Several other locations including Durham Street, The Brow, Plymouth Street, Castle View Road, and Windsor Road saw single-figure violation numbers.
The majority of drivers caught breaking bus lane rules opted to pay their fines promptly, with 17,459 penalties settled within the initial 14-day period at the reduced rate of £35.
However a further 1,423 motorists paid the full £70 fine after missing the two-week early payment window.
According to Swindon Borough Council regulations, the penalty charge can increase to £105 if not paid within 28 days. The enforcement system uses automatic number plate recognition technology to identify vehicles entering restricted zones.
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Only specific vehicles are permitted to use bus lanes, including buses, licensed taxis with special permits, motorcycles without sidecars, mopeds, bicycles and emergency response vehicles.
The bus lanes operate 24 hours a day unless specific times are indicated by signs at the start of restricted zones.
Find Out More...
The penalty charge notices were issued between April 2023 and April 2024 to motorists who illegally used designated bus lanes across the Wiltshire town.
According to Highway Code Rule 141, drivers should not enter bus lanes during their operational hours unless specifically permitted.
The code states: "Unless otherwise indicated, you should not drive in a bus lane during its period of operation. You may enter a bus lane to stop, to load or unload where this is not prohibited."
Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
The figures found a significant number of drivers ignoring clearly marked bus lanes, which are indicated by solid thick white lines and distinctive pink tarmac stretches reserved for buses, licensed taxis and other authorised vehicles.
But many of the offending motorists claimed to have missed the various signs and road markings indicating the restrictions.
The majority of violations occurred in a single area, with the Penzance Drive zones near Swindon Designer Outlet's West Car Park accounting for more than 17,000 fines.
Penzance Drive Zone 1 saw 13,761 drivers penalised for breaching bus lane restrictions. A further 3,340 motorists were caught breaking the rules in Penzance Drive Zone 2, making this stretch of road particularly problematic for enforcement.
Other hotspots include Ferndale Road which emerged as another significant area for bus lane violations, with 1,715 drivers receiving fines.
Princes Street saw 1,348 motorists penalised for breaching bus lane restrictions. The bus-only area on Cricklade Road resulted in 858 fines being issued to unauthorised vehicles.
Bristol Street recorded 684 violations, while Mazurek Way saw 621 drivers caught breaking the rules.
Ermin Street and Upham Road rounded out the major violation zones with 562 and 265 fines respectively. Camera cars also monitored restricted school zones and bus gates, with 44 drivers caught on Queens Drive and 10 on Welcombe Avenue.
Several other locations including Durham Street, The Brow, Plymouth Street, Castle View Road, and Windsor Road saw single-figure violation numbers.
The majority of drivers caught breaking bus lane rules opted to pay their fines promptly, with 17,459 penalties settled within the initial 14-day period at the reduced rate of £35.
However a further 1,423 motorists paid the full £70 fine after missing the two-week early payment window.
According to Swindon Borough Council regulations, the penalty charge can increase to £105 if not paid within 28 days. The enforcement system uses automatic number plate recognition technology to identify vehicles entering restricted zones.
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Only specific vehicles are permitted to use bus lanes, including buses, licensed taxis with special permits, motorcycles without sidecars, mopeds, bicycles and emergency response vehicles.
The bus lanes operate 24 hours a day unless specific times are indicated by signs at the start of restricted zones.
Find Out More...