Britain's most lucrative bus lane has been revealed as the Corporation Street bus gate in Preston, Lancashire, which generates £4,200 daily from driver penalties.
The bus gate issues 47,176 penalties annually - 13,000 more than any other in the country. This brings in £1,545,816 yearly for council coffers, which is £400,000 more than the second highest-earning penalty spot.
Thousands of motorists get caught out by the bus gate, with many claiming they missed small circular signs and red road markings warning that only buses are permitted. Drivers face a £35 fine which rises to £105 if unpaid within 21 days.
The bus gate was implemented in May 2024 and bans all vehicles except authorized buses, taxis and cycles from the 96-metre stretch. Two cameras monitor the zone for rule breakers.
Residents say the zone is "a cash cow for the council." Keith Brierley, 83, said: "They're raking in thousands a week from people who haven't got a clue." One hour on a Wednesday afternoon brought in £490 from seven drivers caught in the zone.
To avoid fines, motorists must take a detour in a U-shaped loop before rejoining Corporation Street. The issue is worsened by Friargate - which runs parallel - being pedestrianized.
Anne Fisher, 65, noted the road doesn't change width or direction to indicate the bus gate's start, catching out drivers new to the area. "You can't come into the city centre directly anymore so it's simply putting people off coming in and out of Preston," she said.
The council states all fine revenue goes toward road maintenance and safety improvements. Drivers had a five-week grace period before fines began. Only 109 people have appealed, with just 22 succeeding.
Across 102 councils responding to freedom of information requests, 1.93 million penalty notices were issued, bringing in £49.3 million. Manchester alone generated £5.3 million from 127,975 penalties.
Lancashire County Council said the bus gate was introduced to improve bus reliability through busy Preston city centre, with positive feedback from bus operators. All income is reinvested into the highways network for maintenance and safety improvements.
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Preston's Corporation Street bus gate generates £1.5M annually, making it Britain's most profitable penalty zone.
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This highlights how traffic enforcement has become a major revenue stream for cash-strapped local councils.
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Manchester councils collectively issued 127,975 penalties last year, generating £5.3 million in fines.