DOZENS of drivers are still being fined for going through Glasgow’s bus gate every day.
In a two month period, drivers were slapped with fines worth up to £211,000 by Glasgow City Council.
Between December 2016 and January 2017, 3324 people were given a penalty ticket for going though the bus and taxi zone at Nelson Mandela Place - an average of 55 a day.
The figures, obtained using Freedom of Information laws, show that on one day in December, almost 120 people were snared driving in the no-go zone, with a total of 2008 motorists fined in the same month.
In January 2017, 1316 drivers were also caught, with the council netting up to £3300 a day from the fines.
The only days when nobody was fined was Christmas and New Year’s day - days on which drivers are exempt as no buses are on the roads.
Those issued with penalty tickets have to pay £60, which is reduced to £30 if it is paid within two weeks.
When the bus gate was first introduced on June 30 2014, 474 people were caught and fined within the first 12 hours of operation.
This decreased over the next 15 months, with around 600 people a week being snared by August 2015.
Despite the further decrease, critics say the latest figures are “far too high” and argue there is still a problem with signage diverting drivers away from the bus gate.
Neil Greig, of the Institute of Advanced Motoring, said: “ These figures are just far too high.
“It needs to be made more clear that this is an area banned to cars.
“For example, there are pedestrian barriers on Hope Street, the pavements have been widened. It looks different and drivers don’t go through it.
“There is still scope to improve things on Nelson Mandela Place and these figures certainly illustrate that.”
Mr Greig added: “When you are getting a regular income from people breaking the law then there is no incentive to change.
“As long as they continue to get hundreds of people going through the gate people, quite rightly, will think of it as a money-spinning scheme.”
Malcolm Balfour, the SNP’s transport spokesman, said:”If there are 50 to 100 people going through that bus gate every day, there is clearly something wrong with the signage.
“Yes people do chance their arm and think they won’t get caught but not that many. More needs to be done to raise awareness that this is a no-go zone, that it is monitored 24/7.”
A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said: “Driving in a bus lane (or gate) has always been an offence for anyone other than authorised vehicles. While the number of people using bus lanes has fallen dramatically across the city, these traffic management measures are in place for a reason – and we want to see fewer offences and fewer penalties. Aside from being one of the most talked about and publicised bus gate in the city, there is clear signage and markings on approach to the bus gate informing motorists of the oncoming bus gate.”
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