MORE than 6,000 drivers were given bus lane fines in 2020 in Blackburn with Darwen, according to figures.

That is around a quarter the level they were at in 2017 when bus lane cameras where introduced in the borough to catch offenders.

The fall has been attributed to less traffic on the roads because of coronavirus lockdowns and restrictions but one council boss was shocked that thousands of drivers still can't follow simple instructions.

The statistics come from a Freedom of Information request by the Lancashire Telegraph to find out how many motorists had been caught using the bus lanes in the borough between January and the end of November.

In 2020 town hall chiefs generated £141,300 of income from drivers contravening Code 34 which is being in a bus lane.

Motorists who have driven in the bus lanes have received penalty notices of £60 reduced to £30 if paid within 21 days.

In that same period, 18 people had appealed to the independent adjudicator to appeal the fines.

Blackburn with Darwen Council regeneration boss Cllr Phil Riley said the fines were are entirely the fault of the motorist.

He said: "One is surprised that so many people got fines given the roads were quiet with lockdown.

"It begs the question why people cannot follow the rules.

"It is not complicated to not use bus lanes especially in the last 12 months when there were few people on the roads.

"When the roads are empty there is not the same traffic so you cannot get trapped in a bus lane because you cannot move out.

"The bus lanes are clearly marked and, if motorists stay out of them, no one will be fined."

It can also be revealed St Paul's Street was the spot that caught out the most motorists with 1,472 penalty charge notices handed out for contraventions there.

It comes after the Lancashire Telegraph reported in December 2019 that there were 8,212 fines in 2019, 12,703 in 2018 and 24,488 in 2017.

Meanwhile business leaders have criticised the council for using the bus lanes as a 'money making exercise' and said there were problems with signage.

Blackburn and District Chamber of Trade president, Tony Duckworth, was shocked to hear about the figures.

He said: "I think that it is poorly designed and some of the signage is difficult for some drivers to understand as there are different lanes have different operating hours.

"They need to be the same across the borough.

"It is surprising to see so many fines and there is a lack of understanding and the council should not be taking money for problems with the signage being poor."

Meanwhile, the Lancashire Telegraph can also reveal that more than 1,500 notices were handed out to drivers who had stopped on a road where it is prohibited such as a red route or clearway.

Most offences took place in Copy Nook, Blackburn.