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Daily Mail, 4 th May 2006
By Ray Massey, Transport Editor
Britain's highest-earning bus lane camera was responsible for fines worth nearly £2million last year.
Almost 20,000 motorists were caught in Camberwell New Road in the London borough of Lambeth.
The second highest-earning camera was at Vine Street, Uxbridge, operated by the London borough of Hillingdon. It captured 17,727 drivers, issuing fines worth around £1.7million.
The figures, produced following a Freedom of Information request, reveal last year Transport for London, which is responsible for bus lanes on main roads across the capital, sent out a total of 185,347 bus lane penalties worth around £18.5million.
Critics said the penalties were simply a money-making exercise. Barrie Segal, founder of the website Appealnow.com which fights unfair tickets, said: "Many of these fines arise from bus lanes that catch motorists when they attempt to turn left. If another car is turning right in front of you, you are often caught with a bus lane to your left - you either keep moving or cause a huge jam."
However, Transport for London said bus lane cameras were a 'vital ingredient' for keeping the capital moving.
A spokesman said buses were now 15 per cent faster in bus lanes than in normal traffic lanes.
Only around seven in ten fines issued by Transport for London were paid because of incorrect driver registration details.
In many other cases motorists paid the £50 discounted rate for prompt payment instead of the full £100 fine.
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