DRIVERS PAY OUT ALMOST £60 MILLION IN BUS LANE FINES IN ONE YEAR

Drivers across the UK paid out a whopping £59.6m(5) in bus lane fines in 2019, with unclear bus lane signs causing confusion on UK roads.

That’s according to new data obtained by Confused.com, which reveals 2 million(5) bus lane Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) were issued by over 800(5) bus lane cameras in just one year.

But the issue is far greater than this, as further research reveals nearly one in three (28%) drivers have received a fine for driving in a bus lane in the past, with a third (33%) even receiving more than one.

However, nearly two in five (36%) frustrated drivers have appealed a bus lane penalty they were given, with three in four (74%) successful in their challenge. This just goes to show that not all fines may be issued fairly in the first place. Two in five (41%) said that they didn’t have to pay anything as a result of the appeal, and one in three (33%) paid a reduced price, saving £68, on average.

The new research highlighted several reasons why drivers have fought their fines. Confusion caused by unclear signage was the most common factor blamed (38%), followed by unclear road markings (31%). Almost a fifth (18%) of drivers even say they felt that the fine was issued to raise money rather than for legitimate reasons.

But the appeals process isn’t always plain sailing. The investigation revealed that a third (33%) of drivers said the process was time consuming, more than one in ten (12%) found it confusing and even a fifth (20%) of drivers have did not appeal altogether as it was too stressful. Confused.com’s challenge checklist will help to clear up confusion and guide you through the appeals process.

To help tackle the UK’s unclear signage problem, which appears to be unfairly misleading drivers, Confused.com is unveiling is giant bus lane sign in Bristol. Motorists in Bristol will not be able to miss the sign on Bath Road. It clearly warns that 12,394 drivers crossed the line last year, so they need to keep out of the bus lane to avoid a fine.