Parking wardens will also report driving offences

Bus lane cameras will be used to catch motorists carrying out offences like wrongly driving into a box junction or turning right across a restricted lane.

The councils taking part in the nine-month pilot across the city are Camden, Ealing, Newham, Croydon, Wandsworth, Hammersmith and Fulham.

Money raised through fines will be used to fund transport improvements.

Most of the councils, which have been given the new powers under the Local Authorities and Transport for London Act 2003, are not expected to begin fining people for a couple of months.

The perception that members of the public have is that this is revenue-driven Rebecca Rees, from the AA

In some areas wardens will also report on drivers who make illegal U-turns, go the wrong way down a one-way street and ignore no entry signs and pedestrian zones.

Rebecca Rees, from the AA, criticised the scheme saying she was concerned it could be used as a way of raising revenue.

"We do not feel that local authorities have the capacity to do this," she said.

"The perception that members of the public have is that this is revenue-driven.

"Of course these motoring offences need to be enforced. Some people will welcome this move because they get annoyed by people who flout the law but there will also be drivers who think this will just be another easy way to make money."

'Discretion to be used'

According to the Association of London Government, the project aims to target selfish drivers who clog roads and endanger public safety.

"These are regulations laid down in the Highway Code and against the law which could have been prosecuted through the police.

"Some discretion will be used and somebody will have had to seen an offence for a ticket to be issued."

People could be fined up to �100 for offences, which would come down to �50 if it is paid within 14 days.

Anyone blocking footpaths and roads with, for example, skips and displays outside shops will also face �100 fines.

And operators face a �500 fine and drivers could be fined �100, rather than being prosecuted, if they break the London Lorry Ban which stops noisy truck journeys at night and weekends.