Drivers caught straying into bus lanes in Belfast have been fined more than £4m in the past four years.
The amount generated between June 2015, and February this year ranges from just £45 on the Upper Malone Road to more than £1.5m on Donegall Square East .
Bus lanes are enforced by fixed CCTV cameras and a mobile CCTV camera vehicle, and on the ground by PSNI officers and traffic attendants.
Motorists caught using bus lanes illegally face a fine of £90, although this can be reduced to £45 if paid within 14 days.
Figures, released by the Department for Infrastructure after a freedom of information request, also revealed a fixed camera on Great Victoria Street raised £890,342 in fines.
The money from Penalty Charge Notices was raised between the introduction of the measures on 22 June 2015 and 28 February 2019.
The top five locations which generated the most in fines during the period were:
- Donegall Square East: £1,501,346.03
- Great Victoria Street: £890,342.44
- Castle Street: £521,787.67
- College Square East: £487,815.60
- Donegall Square South: £257,485.60
If the CCTV camera detects a vehicle illegally driving in a bus lane , it will automatically record a minimum eight-second long video of the vehicle for the purposes of evidence.
The mobile CCTV vehicle enforces bus lanes during their operational hours.
All video clips recorded by the enforcement CCTV cameras are reviewed by NSL, who operate the enforcement system on behalf of the Department for Infrastructure.
When asked how the money generated from bus lane cameras is spent, a Department for Infrastructure spokesman said: "All revenue received, less the cost of operation and collection, contributes to the financing of the services the Department provides."
The aim of introducing bus lanes to the city was to reduce the number of vehicles illegally parked on roads or driving in bus lanes or other bus priority measures.
Figures released this week also revealed £5.34m was spent upgrading the bus lanes for Belfast's Glider system, which was introduced in July last year.
This included land acquisition, carriageway widening, utility relocation, footway and carriageway resurfacing, upgrade to street lighting and bus lane provision.
It was broken down to: Upper Newtownards Road (Albertbridge to Sandown Road) - £2.21M, Upper Newtownards Road (Sandown Road to Knock Road) - £1.06M and Falls Road (Grosvenor Road to Whiterock Road) - £2.07M.
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