A new bus lane that made over £30,000 during its first day in operation has been branded ‘ludicrous’ by road users.

The new 24-hour bus lane in Birmingham has managed to catch out its own council vehicles and police vans today. 

Despite signs in place on Sheepcote Street, some 527 motorists were clocked between 3.20pm and 6.20pm and are now braced for £60 penalty charges. 

The fines could swell Birmingham City Council coffers by a whopping £32,940. 

A West Midlands Police van, council vehicles, Uber drivers and recycling trucks were among those liable to be stung with charges.

It is not known which vehicles will be exempt from the line, but West Midlands Police today said emergency vehicles are exempt from the charges. 

This is while cameras managed to snap 177 unwitting motorists between 7am and 8am today after rules were changed to restrict traffic.

Now disgruntled road users have slammed the new measure with many claiming it would add on time to their daily commutes.

Gym worker Luke Imlack, 32, fears the bus lane – which is only around 25m in length – would add half an hour to his journey.

A police van was today pictured going through the bus lane, it did not appear to have its emergency lights on

A police van was today pictured going through the bus lane, it did not appear to have its emergency lights on 

Vehicle after vehicle flew into the bus lane with close to 300 cars and lorries entering the prohibited area

Vehicle after vehicle flew into the bus lane with close to 300 cars and lorries entering the prohibited area

Vehicle after vehicle flew into the bus lane with close to 300 cars and lorries entering the prohibited area

Many cars were seen going through the lane today following the switch on of the new camera

Many cars were seen going through the lane today following the switch on of the new camera

Many cars were seen going through the lane today following the switch on of the new camera 

He said: ‘I live near the airport so it’s already a 12 mile drive for me to get to work. This is going to make it so much more difficult to get to work.

‘I’m not going to pay it – it’s ludicrous.

‘The council should have let the businesses around here know because we are the ones that use it.

‘When the congestion charge comes in next year then I’m not going to work in the city. It will be unbearable. The warning sign should be red, not blue. No one will notice it.’

A National Express bus driver welcomed the changes and said motorists needed to pay more attention.

He said: ‘It was chaotic around here this morning but it’s going to get so much worse tomorrow when the schools go back.

‘The signs are clear enough and it’s got to be enforced.’

The new camera (pictured above) has been catching motorists out all day in Birmingham

The new camera (pictured above) has been catching motorists out all day in Birmingham

The new camera (pictured above) has been catching motorists out all day in Birmingham 

Almost 300 people face a £60 fine this morning after a new bus lane (pictured today) was installed in the centre of Birmingham with no grace period

Almost 300 people face a £60 fine this morning after a new bus lane (pictured today) was installed in the centre of Birmingham with no grace period

Almost 300 people face a £60 fine this morning after a new bus lane (pictured today) was installed in the centre of Birmingham with no grace period

It is not yet known if council vehicles will be exempt from the fines, however, West Midlands Police said they have an agreement with the council.

In a statement it said: ‘West Midlands Police has an agreement with Birmingham City Council whereby- emergency vehicles are exempt from bus lane restrictions.

‘This is to allow officers to carry out their duties and to reassure and protect the public.’

This evening, drivers were appalled when informed by MailOnline that if they were to drive through the bus lane, they could be fined £60. 

One commuter Carole Dixon ‘I’m appalled. I take this route all the time. There’ve been no signs to warn you as far as I’m concerned.’  

The city council has warned: 'Cross the line, pay the fine' but irate drivers say they did not have enough warning

The city council has warned: 'Cross the line, pay the fine' but irate drivers say they did not have enough warning

The city council has warned: ‘Cross the line, pay the fine’ but irate drivers say they did not have enough warning

This is while others claimed they were not aware where the bus lanes were with one road user saying they had ‘no idea’ about the new changes’.  

Another said: ‘I come here to work every day. There’s not a bus lane here. If there is now I’m not happy about it.’ 

During the morning rush hour around 100 drivers sailed into the bus lane.

One local resident, who lives off Sheepcote Street, said some of the signs were already in place. 

Ben Pomlett, 30 said: ‘The red tarmac and the bus lane lettering has been there for a few weeks and people have driven across not realising that the cameras have now been switched on.

‘This will do nothing to help manage traffic, in fact I think it will cause congestion elsewhere. It’s hard not to see it as anything but a money making exercise.’  

The 277-plus vehicles which drove in the bus lane this morning now face a £60 penalty charge – potentially putting £16,620 into council coffers in around 120 minutes of chaos.   

The new bus lane is on one of the city’s busiest new routes close to the Birmingham Arena and Bullring shopping centre.  

The road, previously a key route for commuters in the city centre, was made bus-only with council bosses posting on Facebook last night: ‘Cross the line, pay the fine’. 

Amber Marshall, a 42-year-old administrator from Birmingham, said she will refuse to pay her fine.

She said: ‘It’s shocking. There are no signs at all. They’ve introduced one of these in Cheltenham but the signs are massive. You know exactly what’s going on.

‘The council can take me to court, it’s not adequately signed. It’s purely greed.’

But not everyone was angry at the new bus lane. One bus driver rolled his window down to say: ‘Just think of all those potholes that will be filled.’

Several drivers were so confused by the new bus lane and a nearby road closure that they appear to have entered the bus lane twice meaning they could be fined £120. 

Drivers have called on the council to give people the chance to get used to the new layout before issuing the fines

Drivers have called on the council to give people the chance to get used to the new layout before issuing the fines

Drivers have called on the council to give people the chance to get used to the new layout before issuing the fines 

Drivers were so confused by the new layout that they went round in circles and entered the lane twice with surrounding roads also closed

Drivers were so confused by the new layout that they went round in circles and entered the lane twice with surrounding roads also closed

Drivers were so confused by the new layout that they went round in circles and entered the lane twice with surrounding roads also closed

One motorist snapped in the bus lane today said: ‘It’s out of order. I’ve been coming this way for years and I had no idea it had changed.

‘I only realised it was now a bus lane when I was actually on the road and saw the lettering on the tarmac.

‘By then it was too late. Once you’re on there you don’t have a second chance.’

Furious motorists accused the council of not giving them enough warning and complained the new bus lane rules were poorly signposted. 

The bus lane is set to operate 24 hours a day.

A Birmingham City Council spokesman said: ‘Bus lane enforcement cameras are an important tool in helping to keep the city moving but ideally there would be no need to issue penalty notices at all if motorists did not drive in bus lanes. With regard to the bus lane in Sheepcote Street, this has been publicised extensively through local media and social media, while there is also clear signage warning motorists of the new measures. The message therefore couldn’t be clearer: cross the line, pay the fine.’ 

Council staff in a bus shelter as chaos reigned on the roads around them this morning

Council staff in a bus shelter as chaos reigned on the roads around them this morning

Council staff in a bus shelter as chaos reigned on the roads around them this morning 

Sheepcote Street, at the back of the Arena Birmingham, was a popular way for motorists to access the city’s busy Broad Street.

But today drivers were greeted with the giant words Bus Lane painted in white lettering on to a bright red road surface.

To emphasise the message, Birmingham City Council last night posted on social media saying: ‘Cross the line, pay the fine.’

Have you been caught out in the bus lane today?

Email: Terri-Ann.Williams@MailOnline.co.uk or call 02036151762

A spokesman said: ‘Bus lanes keep our city moving, giving priority to buses so they can avoid congestion. This improves bus service reliability and reduces journey times. We are committed to improving public transport in Birmingham, reducing the number of cars on our roads and making the city’s air cleaner.’

Birmingham’s 18 miles of bus lanes and bus-only roads saw motorists coughing up £1.36 million in fines during 2017/2018.

In 2018 there were 24 bus lane cameras operating in the city – compared with 12 in 2016 – and in the first three months of last year 2,000 bus lane fines were per week on average.

Locals commenting on the council’s Facebook post were less than impressed with the new bus-only route.

Malcolm Donaldson wrote: ‘It’s got to the point where I shall just avoid driving to town with all these traps, because that’s what they are.’

Dave Erfani added: ‘It’s a joke. Totally designed to catch people out.’

And Keith Ward commented: ‘Council is getting desperate now. They’ll step on anyone to get money. Watch your backs, people.’

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