Call to end '˜cash cow' bus lane fines after Sheffield Council hands out 30, 000 inside a year Â

Figures from confused.com show that local councils pocketed £41 million nationally from fines given to drivers using bus lanes.

Regionally, councils in Yorkshire received over £3 million in fines in 2017 alone with more than 30, 000 fines being handed out to drivers in Sheffield. 

Councillor Jack Scott, cabinet member for transport and development, said all money the council receives from bus lane fines is re-invested into the transport network.

But the news has sparked fierce debate among Star readers on Facebook '“ with some claiming bus lanes are just a way of making money out of motorists and should be scrapped.  

Duncan Strafford said: 'It makes zero sense to take 50 per cent of the road network for a handful of commuters during peak demand.

'End bus lanes.' 

John Buttery described bus lanes as being a '˜cash cow'.

He believes they should remain but argued that fining drivers straight away is too harsh.

He added: 'Everyone makes a mistake one day. Surely a warning letter should be issued first offence.' 

Other readers express their anger that some of the lanes are underused by buses.  

 Tony Britton posted: 'The buses that don't use the bus lane on Burngreave Road should be fined for not using it, and the taxi drivers that think they can do what they want.'  

Coun Scott said: 'The money we get from bus lanes does help our transport budget, but we don't want to fine people, that's not our intention but sometimes it's the only way to provide a deterrent. If people have got specific examples of where they feel bus lanes are not properly signed, then it's really important they tell us about that.'