MORE than 75,000 bus lane fines were issued in Brighton and Hove over the course of a year.

The city council raked in almost £2 million off the back of the penalty charge notices issued between April 6 2018 and April 5 last year.

The figure of £1,846,643 from 75,029 fines was the eighth highest among the UK’s 50 most populated towns and cities.

The data was collected by price comparison site Comparethemarket.com, which described Brighton and Hove as a “hot-spot” for bus lane fines.

But the figure paled in comparison to the number of fines issued in Manchester, which had the highest total.

The city’s council issued 388,213 fines, collecting £8,389,610 as a result.

Glasgow had the second highest total with £2,874,720, followed by Coventry (£2,738,309) Reading (£2,176,571) Nottingham (£2,122,118) Birmingham (£2,065,736) and Cardiff (£1,856,146).

Dan Hutson, head of motor insurance at comparethemarket.com, said: “It can happen to the best of us, especially if you are driving in an unfamiliar part of a city or town.

“However, with cameras monitoring the roads more and more, it’s easy to get caught out. With more of us getting back on the roads, in particular for commuting into big cities, it’s important to keep the rules of the road in mind as no one wants to end up with a fine.

“If you think you’ve received a fine and it’s wrong, you can always contest a penalty charge notice (PCN). However, keep in mind that if you don’t pay the fine within 14 days, the rate usually doubles.”

But Brighton and Hove City Council said drivers should be aware of the bus lanes in the city.

A spokesman said: “Bus lanes in the city are there for a number of important reasons – to ensure public transport runs efficiently, to reduce the number of cars and lorries in the city, cut dangerous fuel emissions and improve air quality in the city centre and to make the city safer for pedestrians.

“Bus lanes are very clearly marked and there is plenty of obvious signage.

“Most cities in the UK have bus lanes so drivers should be very aware of these, so it’s highly improbable that local drivers or those visiting the city don’t realise they cannot drive in our city centre.

“Much of the money from the fines is spent on providing free bus passes for older and disabled people.”

Brighton and Hove had the eighth highest number of bus lane fines, but this figure could soon be set to rise with new technology being introduced to catch errant drivers as part of a city centre redevelopment project.

Automatic number plate recognition cameras will be brought in to Valley Gardens, Brighton and Hove City Council said last month.

This is the area of the city between The Level and the Aquarium roundabout where a new bus lane will soon be in operation following the completion of redevelopment works.

A council spokesman said: “ANPR cameras will soon be enforcing bus lane restrictions in the new and improved Valley Gardens to support the free flow of public transport through the area.

“You may receive a penalty charge notice if you ignore the restrictions.”