THE council bagged almost half a million pounds in one year from drivers caught using a city centre bus lane.

Worcestershire County Council received £475,000 from thousands of fined motorists caught driving through the Lowesmoor bus lane in Worcester.

The council’s cameras went live in late 2020 with drivers – including taxis – facing a fine of £60 if found to be illegally using the key route.

Despite raking in £475,000 in fines from the cameras last year, the council said the running of the scheme came with “significant costs.”

Cllr Mike Rouse, the county council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, told councillors at a meeting on July 14 that despite the huge amount of fines, the scheme had just ‘broke even’ in its first year.

He added the enforcement cameras had been installed following a call by the county’s biggest bus provider First Bus, who said the heavily-congested road was “directly affecting its ability to run a reliable and efficient cross-city service.”

Labour councillors in Worcester have been calling for the bus lane to be re-opened to taxis in a bid to stop passengers from being penalised for having to sit in extra traffic because of the ban.

Cllr Lynn Denham, who represents the county council’s Rainbow Hill division, said: "In Redditch, taxis are allowed to use bus lanes, in Worcester they are not

“In Redditch, local police teams give 'firm words of advice for contravening the bus and taxi lane' but in Worcester, the county council has installed CCTV and issued enforcement fine notices.

“They collected £475,000 as a result last year. In June 2022 alone, 820 fines were issued in Lowesmoor.

“As bus services have reduced, taxis are the only public transport service operating for many people and should have the same access as in Redditch and are unlikely to get in the way of buses.”

Cllr Rouse said the enforcement in the bus lane was as much to do with air quality as it was illegal parking, but he would take a closer look at Lowesmoor.

He said that while he had “great sympathy” with taxi drivers, he would always prioritise buses.