Birmingham bus lane cameras could make £3m for council

Bus lane cameras will be introduced Credit: PA

Ten bus lane enforcement cameras will be installed along three busy commuter routes in Birmingham, bringing in £3m in fines for the council.

Warning signs and cameras will be installed at a cost of £459,000 to monitor current bus lanes in the following locations:

  • Lichfield Road in Aston

  • Tyburn Road in Pype Hayes

  • B4128 in Bordesley Green

Future enforcement is also planned for Bristol Road, Walsall Road and Alcester Road.

The council insists that lessons have been learned from the 2013, in which poorly-placed warning signs in the city centre led to 65,000 penalties being wrongly issued, causing uproar among motorists.

The issuing and collection of fines, court action, maintenance and regular publicity campaigns to warn commuters of the enforcement will cost an estimated £3.3m.

Councillors say the cost will be covered, as far as possible, by income from fines.

A report to the council’s cabinet says if motorists obey the restrictions, and there is little income from the scheme, it will be considered a success and the enforcement would be cut short early.