Nearly 7,000 drivers flout bus lane rules in West Bromwich - but won't be fined

Sandwell Council gave the town centre rule-breakers a two-week grace period after cameras were switched on but bosses warn that is now over.

Fines have now started being issued to those who flout the rules in New Street by using the stretch as a short cut.

Scores of drivers are expected to be made to pay after it was revealed a total of 6,803 warning letters had been sent out during the two-week grace period. The council could have raked in up to £600,000 as a result of those who flouted the rules.

But council bosses have warned there will now be no more second chances.

The cameras went live on November 21 but council chiefs agreed to let drivers off the hook for two weeks.

Anyone who has driven through the bus zone, which runs past Sandwell College's Central Sixth Form campus, off High Street, since December 5 can expect to be fined.

Initial fines are £60 but if paid within 14 days, the total will reduce to £30.

After 14 days it will stay at £60 and if it has still not been paid within 28 days it will rise to £90.

Bosses at Sandwell Council said cameras were the last resort but that they were determined to make New Street safer by putting a stop to drivers breaking the rules.

Buses have also been held up by the stream of cars passing through the zone. Only buses, Hackney carriage taxis and cyclists are allowed to pass through.

Sandwell Council's roads boss Councillor David Hosell said he expected the number of cars using the zone to drop once people have been fined. A total of 6,803 warnings were sent for the two-week period.

He said: "The number of people using this route since the cameras went up has decreased significantly which has helped cut the congestion around the bus station and started to make things safer for pedestrians.

"But clearly there are still many people ignoring the signs - despite the warning signs and all of the publicity the new cameras have had.

"Motorists need to observe the signs and find another route to avoid receiving a fine.

"We hope that once people start receiving fines, this will dramatically reduce the number of motorists ignoring the signs and help solve the safety issues and congestion in this area."

Chiefs are hopeful the threat of a fine will have the desired effect like it has in other areas, such as Wolverhampton, where bus lane cameras around the city centre have proved successful in stopping drivers taking the law into their own hands.