Bus gate 'not working', as motorists fined £3.7m

A councillor says a bus gate in Preston is not fit for purpose, after it brought in £3.7m in fines for Lancashire County Council in less than two years.

The short-length of bus-only street has been in operation on Corporation Street since June 2024.

Liberal Democrat councillor Mark Jewell says the volume of fines over the past two years shows it is ineffective as a traffic-easing measure: "If the bus gate was working, you would have no fines and people would be taking the alternative routes."

Jewell is calling for the bus gate to be scrapped, arguing its siting is not intuitive and means it is "very easy for people to get caught" - and fined. The county council has been contacted for comment.

The bus gate on Corporation Street was put in place in order to reduce traffic at peak times and allow buses right of way.

It gives priority to buses in both directions on Corporation Street, between Marsh Lane and Heatley Street near the university campus. Hackney cabs and cyclists can use it, but not cars and private-hire vehicles.

In its first three months of operation, the bus gate generated fines of more than £1m, from unauthorised motorists entering the restricted section.

The authority previously said revenue from the fines would be used for road improvement projects across Lancashire.

Jewell says the demarcated section is in the wrong place: "Corporation Street is on a main thoroughfare to this part of Preston - it's very easy for people to get caught because it makes sense to come this way.

"It's not logical, it's not intuitive," he added, acknowledging it could be viewed as more of a cash cow - given the fine revenue - than an effective traffic measure.

He is calling on the council to remove the section, along with a new bus lane recently installed on Preston's New Hall Lane which gives priority to buses and bikes near the junction with London Road and is in operation around the clock.

"New Hall Lane is another main road into Preston and out of Preston," said Jewell, suggesting many more motorists could get caught out.

"There needs to be a real look at all of this."

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.