Thousands of motorists every month are continuing to fall foul of bus lanes and getting fined as they pass through the city centre – but some Birmingham Live readers in our comments section say that it’s unintentional, and that it’s much too difficult to navigate in central Birmingham.
Around 3,000 drivers per month get caught using either of the two Moor Street Queensway bus lanes – going south towards Digbeth, or north towards Carrs Lane. Another bus lane on Sheepcote Street, near the canal bridge, has snared nearly 2000 per month this year so far.
Those who wander into bus lanes are hit with £30 fines, doubling to £60 if not paid within 14 days. Only buses and black cabs can travel through them. Some may have entered the bus zones deliberately, but it’s likely that many more did so unintentionally, while trying to navigate their way around within the city centre.
Reader Mittfh has little sympathy for those being caught up in bus lane confusion: “How can people miss the Bus Gate on Moor Street Queensway Northbound? As soon as you turn the corner from Moor Street to Moor Street Queensway, the carriageway is divided in two with a bus lane on the left side and general traffic on the right. The gate itself is a continuation of the bus lane and marked by big letters on green tarmac, while the right lane has physical barriers preventing you doing anything other than U turning.
“The Sheepcote Street bus gate is an exit to a roundabout, marked with big signs either side and big letters on red tarmac. The only one of the three not clearly delineated is Moor Street Queensway Southbound. If multiple signs and road markings aren’t sufficient to keep you out of bus gates, what other road signage and markings are you missing?!”
Commenter Gingerwinger disagrees: “’It’s likely many did so unintentionally, while trying to navigate their way around the city centre’. Tells me it’s just a nightmare trying to cross the city centre without fear of breaking any laws.”
Purl writes: “I got caught in Moor Street going to the car park.” Web Star says: “It’s a scam, I’ve been caught twice now, there’s no signs in place and you have no choice, it pushes you into that lane.”
On our Facebook page, Jessy Harvey-gayle writes: “I got caught out one year, so I vow never to drive into the city centre. They’ve changed it so much, and by the time you realise, it’s too late. Mind you I’ve never liked going there anyway, too busy for me.”
Fi Badger says: “Sometimes you just have to use your car, and driving around unfamiliar bits of the city is nightmarish. I use road signs & car/phone satnav, but yes, I have strayed into the bus lane and been clobbered.” Aamir Zaffar writes: “If the numbers are that high, the signage and warnings must be inadequate.”
Spike Stewart is another reader who has less sympathy: “People definitely don’t look at signage and the road markings. If they did, they would not have been caught out in a clearly marked bus lane.”
Ahmed Ravat disagrees: “With the constant changes, roadworks, and the extremely poor road signage in the city centre, I’ve almost been caught out a few times. I end up actually slowing down and crawling to check the road signage, it’s abysmal.”
Have your say! Is the signage good enough in the city centre? Comment below, and join in on the conversation.