MORE than 85,000 fines were handed out to drivers travelling on bus lanes in just one year in Glasgow.

Statistics were provided for 18 bus lanes throughout the city, through a Freedom of Information request by the Glasgow Times.

A total of 31,478 motorists were fined after driving in the bus lane at Union Street/Gordon Street in the city centre between November 1, 2020, and November 1, 2021.

This is the bus lane that attracted the highest number of fines.

It was followed by West George Street at Nelson Mandela Place in which 13,266 drivers were fined.

Meanwhile, 13,002 drivers were fined for travelling on the bus lane at Oswald Street/Midland Street.

The charge is £60; however, Glasgow City Council accepts a reduced amount of £30 if payment is received within 14 days.

North Hanover Street recorded the least number of fines – 121.

A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: “It is vital we do everything that we can to sustain public transport in a city where almost half of our households have no access to a car.

“The bus remains the most significant form of public transport in Glasgow, but the bus sector was already facing a challenging future even before the Covid crisis took hold.

“Giving buses priority on key routes gives operators the chance to run the kind of reliable and efficient services that people want to use.

“By providing clearer channels for buses to travel along, we can reduce delays and get closer to the bus industry target of ‘on time every time’ that seeks to meet passenger expectations.

“Bus gates, bus lanes and other bus priority measures help to improve journey times and make the bus a more attractive travel option in Glasgow.

“All of our signage for bus gates and lanes is fully compliant with the roads legislation and in many cases goes far beyond what is required by the law.”