Drivers are still fined at a rate of one every six minutes in Valley Gardens, three years after they went active.

Tens of thousands of drivers are passing through the short bus lanes called bus gates, despite various efforts by Brighton and Hove City Council to improve signs and awareness.

The restrictions at Marlborough Place, St George’s Place, York Place and St Peter’s Place, Brighton, prevent drivers from driving on the western side of the linear park, leaving the road for buses and the most local traffic.

In the first year, 2021, a driver was fined every two minutes, based on daytime activity, which dropped to every three minutes in 2022.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request by the Local Democracy Reporting Service found 41,707 drivers went through the bus gates in 2023.

A separate FOI on Brighton and Hove City Council’s website, confirmed 28,414 fines were issued in 2023, generating £861,819.

This is a dramatic fall in the number of fines issued in previous years.

In 2022 the council issued 98,106 fines generating £2,930,484 with the same number generated in 2021

York Place is still the hot spot with a high of 3,613 drivers passing through the bus gate by Trafalgar Street in October, and 3,534 in July.

Since the bus gates were introduced at the start of 2021, York Place has seen 119,354 drivers penalised and 8,063 successfully appeal their fines.

In 2022, extra road markings and signs were introduced near the bus lanes in addition to those already in place that met Department of Transport requirements.

Conservative group leader councillor Alistair McNair said it should not be “routine” for residents and visitors to face fines when they drive into central Brighton.

Councillor McNair said: “While one driver caught every six minutes may be an improvement on one in every two minutes in 2021 it only appears so because of the horrendous frequency of drivers being caught previously.

“This is like a student achieving an F- who now gets an F+.

“One driver every six minutes is still wholly unacceptable and that after three years proves that something is wrong with the signage and that there is no willingness to improve it as the driver acts as a useful cash cow.”

Drivers still say the system is confusing and too easy to fall foul of.

But councillor Trevor Muten, chairman of the council’s transport and sustainability committee, said: “Our aim is to keep traffic moving and limit congestion. We understand this can lead to fines being issued that drivers may not agree with.

“The bus gates with signage were put in place to help improve traffic flow, safety and bus services. We believe that drivers are well informed about the bus gate and can take steps to avoid being fined.

“The signage for these gates is compliant with national guidance, with added extra signage to give drivers more advanced warning.

“All appeals to Penalty Charge Notices are reviewed. But it’s important for drivers to be aware of these road regulations and signage to avoid being penalised.

“The reducing number of penalty charges notices means people are following the rules and helping to improve bus journey times.”

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/24129223.brighton-hove-bus-gate-fines-valley-gardens/