More than a third (36%) of drivers have accidentally driven in a bus lane, a new survey suggests.
The RAC, which commissioned the poll, said the result demonstrates that councils should issue warning letters rather than fines for first time offenders.
Two out of five (42%) of respondents who said they have entered a bus lane by mistake were caught on camera and asked to pay a fine.
We have always maintained that the majority of drivers don't deliberately set out to drive in bus lanes, so it's good to see this research confirming that
Among drivers surveyed who have entered bus lanes operating only at certain times of the day in their area, 56% believe the signage is inadequate.
Just 4% of motorists admitted deliberately driving in a bus lane.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “We have always maintained that the majority of drivers don’t deliberately set out to drive in bus lanes, so it’s good to see this research confirming that.
“Our suspicions around the visibility and clarity of bus lane signage have also been borne out, with drivers expressing considerable concerns about signs often being hard to spot and difficult to understand.
“We continue to call on councils to write to drivers who stray into bus lanes the first time, rather than simply issuing them with fines.
“While it’s fair that anyone who deliberately drives in bus lanes should expect to be fined, our research shows that far too many drivers end up doing so unwittingly, most probably because the signage really isn’t good enough.”
The Local Government Association was approached for a comment.
Bus lane rules vary, with some only operating at periods of peak congestion, or open to certain other vehicles such as taxis and motorbikes.
Many are enforced by cameras, leading to fines being issued for improper use.
Drivers who enter a bus lane when not permitted on a Transport for London road face being handed a Penalty Charge Notice of £160, reduced to £80 if paid within a specific time frame.
AA analysis of Department for Transport data in June last year showed English local authorities generated a combined £127.3 million in revenue from fining motorists for driving in bus lanes during the 2022/23 financial year.
Taking £47.7 million of costs into account, this resulted in a total surplus of £79.6 million, which the AA claimed proves bus lanes are “a huge money-spinner”.
– The survey of 1,763 UK drivers was conducted by research company Online95 from November 15-24 last year.
