Illegal Use of Guildford Bus-Lanes Could Cost You £70, But Who Gets The Cash?

Published on: 16 Dec, 2019
Updated on: 15 Dec, 2019

A sign warning of the Bus Lane restrictions in Onslow Street.

By Rebecca Curley

local democracy reporter

Motorists caught in bus-lanes along two Guildford roads will soon face fines of up to £70.

The charges for illegal use on Woking Road and Onslow Street start in April 2020, Surrey County Council and Guildford Borough Council Joint Committee agreed on Wednesday (December 11). The scheme has already been piloted in Woking.

But who is to benefit from the fines which, theoretically, could total £620,000 a year, is still to be finalised. SCC wants to use all the revenue to fund schemes anywhere in the county, not specifically in Guildford.

Cllr Matt Furniss

Matt Furniss (Con, Shalford), the SCC cabinet member for highways, said: “The purpose of this is to manage the highway network, not for a financial surplus.

“It’s about highway enforcement and proper congestion traffic flow rather than income generation.”

He said because other boroughs were also considering bus-lane fines, the SCC wanted the enforcement run by a “single source” which could be “in house” with another council or a private organisation or agency.

Surrey County Councillor Mark Brett-Warburton.

But Cllr Mark Brett-Warburton (Con, Guildford South East), said: “We are talking about funding being raised from problems we have from our roads in Guildford.

“So, effectively, our roads are being taxed and the money is being used not to alleviate problems in Guildford, but to resolve problems elsewhere.

“I find that quite concerning.”

In September, a two-day traffic survey on the Guildford bus-lanes revealed 999 contraventions. An estimate of potential revenue, if all offenders pay the full £70, was calculated at £620,690. A discounted rate of 50 per cent within an agreed period, costing £35, could generate £310,345.

But a report by officers says they believe 98 per cent of drivers will “modify their behaviour” to avoid the fines, reducing possible revenue to a trickle.

The agreed enforcement charges are subject to the committee’s final approval of financial arrangements.

An enforcement agency now needs to be sought.

Responses to Illegal Use of Guildford Bus-Lanes Could Cost You £70, But Who Gets The Cash?

Jim Allen Reply

December 16, 2019 at 9:29 am

Has anyone seen a standing room only bus in Guildford?

Bus lanes used under 11 minutes per hour (such as the A320) simple reduce road capacity causing traffic chaos.

Look to the Liverpool exercise of removing bus lanes to see the negative effect of these lanes. They can take out 33% of road capacity for up to 24 hours a day while being used, at best, for six hours a day. They are simply not logical in high-density traffic with low service provision of nearly empty public transport vehicles.
Martin Elliott Reply

December 16, 2019 at 9:50 am

Improper use of a bus lane is antisocial behaviour, but does it actually cause significant congestion for buses/taxis.

My random and unscientific observation is that ignoring “Keep Clear” or Yellow Boxes cause more problems.

So presumably this will be by automated (contracted) CCTV as in London. What percentage of the fines goes to 3rd party.

Cllr Matt Furniss seems to keep to the official guidance, as with parking fees/fines, that they should not be targeted to make a profit. If they do make a profit, it should be invested in transport.

In Guildford, where he used to be deputy leader, they “accidentally” make around £600k from parking and fees. It’s used to subsidise the underutilised Park & Ride schemes.

Oh, and at the same Guildford Joint Committee, there was a proposal for another Park & Ride in Cllr Furniss’s Shalford division. It failed to be passed, but no doubt will return.
Wayne Smith Reply

December 16, 2019 at 10:06 am

How ironic that just a few days after this announcement a number of bus routes in Guildford have been cut. I wonder how many buses an hour used those bus lanes during the time in which they recorded the 999 infringements? They would have recorded that, wouldn’t they? Along with how many people on each bus.

As for the enforcement agency being sought – let’s go with the officers own report and assume that drivers pay up promptly and that 98% modify their behaviour so as not to be caught in the first place. Revenue from fines could be just as low as £6,200. This smacks of another big financial loss along the lines of countryside car parking charges.
L Baker Reply

December 16, 2019 at 10:22 am

I think this is disgusting. It’s just another way to get money out of people another tax and it’s going to be spent not just Guildford but other places. Are they serious?

If we are being taxed for using a bit of road then the funds should be used in Guildford not anywhere else. Let them tax their own constituents. They should spend it on the awful roads in Guildford with potholes.

I am very angry about this some of us are struggling as it is I assume this is a Lib Dem’s idea.

Editor’s note: The proposal was put forward by Conservative County Councillor Matt Furniss (Shalford) the cabinet member for Highways.
George Potter Reply

December 16, 2019 at 1:28 pm

This article is somewhat inaccurate. The Joint Committee agreed only in principle to the idea of installing bus lane cameras. No cameras can be installed until the Committee gives its approval and we made it clear we wouldn’t give approval until the issue of where the money raised will go is resolved.

Also, this was not a Lib Dem idea. This was a proposal by Conservative-run Surrey County Council following a trial in Woking. From our point of view, we don’t have a problem with the idea of people being fined for illegally using bus lanes provided that the money raised is spent locally rather than swallowed up by County Hall.

George Potter is a Lib Dem borough councillor for Burpham
Jan Messinger Reply

December 16, 2019 at 4:08 pm

Sadly I can’t help wondering if SCC having been prevented from getting money from charging to park by the local commons, have decided more money will be made from fining people who go in a bus lane. As others have said with cuts to bus timetables these bus lanes how frequently are they used by buses when there are too many cars, vans and lorries everywhere?

Our traffic problem in the town is ridiculous. So much of the time people can’t get from A to B in an acceptable time for the mileage it is.

Really not sure this is the answer. It would be better if we got people on the buses to cut down on the volume of traffic and pollution. Someone should think before the councils act (unlike the countryside car park charges that were introduced without proper thought).

It’s not all about making money we have young people urging us to do something about climate change. Are they being heard?
More electric buses, higher frequency timetables and lower bus fares would be more productive surely.