Bus lane offenders facing £60 fines

The bus lanes will be enforced with cameras, between 7.30am and 9am and also between 4pm and 6.30pm, on weekdays from Monday, January 17.

Warning notices have been issued since November to any motorist driving along the bus lane illegally, to let them know fines are set to be implemented.

Kevan Butt, parking services manager at Sheffield Council, said: "We've already been successful in using camera enforcement to improve public transport journey times elsewhere in the city, and to be fair to other road users who obey the rules.

"There are new signs, the road surface is green to show where the bus lane is and we've been issuing warning notices to motorists passing through the gates illegally for the last two months.

"Anyone observed using these bus lanes at these times will receive a penalty charge notice of 60."

Drivers also now have to pay when parking on Saturdays in Rotherham town centre. Free Saturday parking in the council-run car park and on-street parking bays officially ended on Saturday, January 8 and fines will begin to be enforced for non-payment from Saturday, January 15.

Coun Richard Russell from Rotherham Council said: "The funding we originally received to pay for free parking incentives was actually cut in July. But the authority agreed to find funding of its own to continue free Saturday parking to cover the Christmas period, which we know is so important to local traders.

"Unfortunately, funding to continue the scheme is just not available, especially as other essential services must continue under an already-reduced budget. Last week we decided to give an amnesty to those motorists who did not pay but unfortunately we simply cannot continue to do that."