Motorists travelling into Westside have been warned of new traffic enforcement action being introduced on Broad Street by Birmingham City Council.
The local authority has begun enforcing the current bus lane restrictions along the ‘golden mile’ from the start of this month. This could result in £60 fines for anyone caught on camera driving in a bus lane on Broad Street for the forseeable future.
Bus lane restrictions were introduced in 2022 at the time the Metro tram extension to Five Ways was opened. However, the city council says that “regrettably” some motorists are continuing to drive, and even stop, in the dedicated bus lanes, resulting in delays to both bus and Metro services.
The council says it will therefore be using camera enforcement to issue fines to those drivers who continue to flout the rules. It is illegal to drive in a bus lane during its hours of operation. Motorists now caught breaching the restrictions will be liable to a fixed penalty notice of £60.
Councillor Majid Mahmood, cabinet member for Environment and Transport at the city council, said: “This is about keeping the city moving and motorists who illegally travel in bus lanes have a serious impact on journey times for bus, Metro and taxi passengers.
“The congestion then has an adverse impact on the environment. It is not about trying to catch people out, it is about keeping motorists out of the bus lanes so buses and trams can run smoothly, which in turn encourages people to get out of their cars and use public transport.”
Councillor Mahmood added: “The restrictions have been in place for around three years but unfortunately too many motorists think it doesn’t apply to them and that they can drive where they like, so we will now be enforcing them.
“Even if we don’t collect a single penny, I will count the enforcement as a success because it will mean people have heeded our message and are obeying the law. However, any fines that are collected can only be spent on projects to improve the city’s transport.”
Picture by Graham Young.
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