Dozy drivers or useless bus lanes? Leeds drivers point the finger over £1M bus lane haul

Leeds residents have called for bus lanes to be scrapped after it was revealed that the council raked in more than £1million in bus lane fines in a single year.
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30,574 drivers were hit with fines for driving in a bus lane in Leeds between April 2018 and March 2019, according to figures obtained by the Yorkshire Evening Post via a Freedom of Information Act request.

One of the drivers fined was a mum with kids in the car, while another was a bus driver who forgot to change his route during his day off when driving his car.Today, readers called for an end to bus lanes - while others said they supported their use and blamed dozy drivers for being too careless.

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Beverly Golesworthy said: "Bus lanes mean just that, FOR BUSES only, doesn’t matter if it’s a mother with kids or whatever, the law’s the law.

Should Leeds Council scrap bus lanes?Should Leeds Council scrap bus lanes?
Should Leeds Council scrap bus lanes?

Matt Robertshaw said: "Waste of space, cause of pollution and a good way to cash in on people who may not be familiar with the road. Typical council tactics.

Christine Bowes added: "I was caught a couple of years ago on the main road in Hunslet. Dirty wet morning around 11am, not another vehicle in sight but totally my own fault, wrongly thought bus lanes were only during peak times but paid the price for my ignorance.

Others said that road signage could be more clear and said there are some situations where ducking into the bus lane is hard to avoid.

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Sue Powell said: "I had a car break down in front of me by an island so the only way out was to cross in and out of the bus lane. I was literally in that lane for a few seconds but the camera don't lie. God knows how many people were stung that day. They must have made a fortune."

Wendy Britton added: "What about moving into a bus lane to let emergency vehicles pass then moving back, apparently you get a fine for that too, so it is a money making scam there should be some exclusions in cases like emergency vehicles being able to pass."

Tony Finn said: "I was driving in atrocious weather the other night in an area not familiar. Visibility wasn't great. I found myself behind a bus and then I noticed loads of cars going past me on my right. Then it suddenly dawned on me. It's a bus lane . Got out of it but noticed a camera - point is I never saw any warning with the bad visibility and if I get a ticket I'll be fuming. Complete accident."

Hugh Wilson added: "Got to say, with so many varying times speeds and general instructional signs the danger is looking at them rather than where your going so much clutter. Full time bus lanes, lanes with taxis, lanes that allow motorcycles, part time lanes... the list goes on. Much of the issue especially with bus lanes is confusion as to which one."

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David Watson used the example of Liverpool city centre, where bus lanes were scrapped. He said: "They should be scrapped ! Liverpool proved they just don't work.

"After a six month trial they found that traffic flowed better, that led to reduced pollution. Less queuing saw an upturn in trade in the cities shops, and get this, buses ran on time more regularly.

"When half the road is empty with queuing traffic alongside, buses do indeed get to leapfrog past sections of congestion only to get stuck with everyone else at sections where there is no segregation. However, if there is no congestion, the buses glide through with the flowing traffic, everyone gets home sooner.

"They might have worked thirty years ago, but today's traffic volume sees them counterproductive, especially when you consider pollution and climate concerns."

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But Chris Turner responded: "The one section of York Road from crossgates to the city centre without a bus lane is terrible on a morning. The other sections move relatively freely. The Liverpool example proves it only worked for Liverpool."