SOUTHAMPTON bus lanes are among the most lucrative in the country, new figures reveal.

Three bus lane cameras have brought in more than £291,885 to the city council in less than 12 months, with one ranked the tenth most profitable in the country outside London.

Statistics show that the Shirley Road camera brings in £1329.79 a day, New Road another £909 a day and Northam Road £454 a day.

The council penalises 129 drivers a day. They are liable for a £60 fine for driving in a bus lane, or £30 if they pay early.

The Northam Road and Shirley Road cameras were both set up in July 2016; the one on New Road was installed in October 2016 - meaning it has brought in £35,460 in just over four months.

But the system has been slammed by transport professionals.

RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “Bus lane cameras are fast becoming a new ‘cash bonanza’ for councils. The amount of money being raised by them in fines is frightening.

“Rather than just rubbing their hands together and taking the money councils should be asking questions as to why so many motorists are being caught driving in bus lanes.

“They should be looking to understand if motorists are deliberately flouting the rules or whether this is happening accidentally, and if so why.

“Most motorists are aware of the regulations concerning bus lanes and there is broad acceptance that they are there to aid traffic flow by helping to keep heavy traffic moving more efficiently, reduce congestion and benefit the environment.

“We don’t believe that the majority of motorists choose to drive in bus lanes on purpose so it is our strong suspicion they are either confused by the signs or simply haven’t seen them and suddenly find themselves driving in a bus lane.

“Cameras need to be set up fairly and signed clearly so that drivers are not unduly punished. A more lenient approach should also be taken for minor errors where motorists have only crossed the lane by inches or have driven in a bus lane for a matter of moments.”

Taxpayers’ Alliance chief executive John O’Connell said the fines should only be used for “serious transgressions”. He said: “People expect fines to be proportionate. It’s important that councils avoid becoming over-reliant on fine revenue otherwise they’ll spend more time and energy simply trying to catch people out rather than seeking to encourage good behaviour on the roads.

“Unfortunately in many cases it is hard to shake the suspicion that fines are increasingly being used by councils as way of extracting extra revenue to fill black holes in budgets so they don’t have to take necessary decisions on spending.”

But city transport chief and deputy council leader Jacqui Rayment said she hopes the cameras will change drivers’ behaviour and “improve the safety and flow of bus lanes”.

She added: “This is a way of improving sustainable travel around the city and we hope this will encourage more people to use buses, help reduce congestion and improve air quality in the city. The income will be reinvested to make improvements to roads and transport in the city.”