Aberdeen drivers have paid millions of pounds in bus lane fines since controversial roads changes were made in the city centre.
Council profits from bus lane enforcement have doubled, coinciding with the new layout around Guild Street, Market Street and Bridge Street being introduced last August.
Around £4.5m has been made on the back of drivers breaking the rules since 2022, with £3m just in the last financial year.
This includes all bus lanes across Aberdeen, the majority of which are in the city centre.
New bus priority measures in Market Street, Guild Street and Bridge Street left many fuming “ridiculous” bus gates had put them off from going into the city centre.
The changes were also blamed for the closure of popular food hall Haigs and Aberdeen bistro Olive Alexanders, with owners saying this has “killed trade” for them.
Council chiefs even resorted to drafting in specialist PR consultants to mitigate the rising tensions and better explain the positives of the controversial new roads layout.
Meanwhile bus firms have reported improvements in journey times and promise fares could improve as a result of Aberdeen’s latest bus gates.
‘Huge amount to take from the good people of Aberdeen’
City accountants were quizzed on the profit made from bus lane fines during a financial review this week.
Torry and Ferryhill councillor Simon Watson expressed concern over the large sum taken from the “good people of Aberdeen”.
And he questioned whether this is expected to become an annual windfall.
He said: “Income into the council is obviously useful, but £4.5m from the good people of Aberdeen coming into bus lanes does seem to be a huge amount of money.”
Earlier this year, the SNP and Lib Dem administration voted to raise bus lane fines from £60 to £100, and make parking permits more expensive.
The controversial measures are aimed to help fill a £83m gap in the next few years.
Aberdeen’s bus lane millions expected to ‘tail off’ quickly
However, planning chief David Dunne said the recent spike in cash from bus lane fines would likely be a one-off while drivers get used to the changes.
He stressed that motorists were also given a generous grace period without enforcement – which is “something they don’t do under normal circumstances”.
In November, The Press and Journal revealed Aberdeen drivers were spared £1.3 million in bus gate fines during those three months.
Mr Dunne added: “The reality is that there is always a spike at the start and then it tails off very quickly.
“Some of the longer-term cameras that we have across the city in the wider areas might only take in a couple of thousand pounds a year.
“And that’s what we would expect [the city centre bus lanes fines] to settle down to over time.”
Read more:
- Everything you need to know to avoid a £60 fine at Aberdeen’s new bus gates
- PR experts hired to explain how Aberdeen city centre bus gates work – and promote benefits
- Aberdeen budget: Bus lane fines to almost double, Berryden roadworks shelved and VSA charity loses out
- Aberdeen budget: Who were the winners in crucial cash talks?
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