THE A4 bus lanes have been around for more than a year now and have stirred up quite the controversy since being implemented.

Slough Borough Council got some flack from motorists after it introduced bus lanes from Huntercombe roundabout to Sussex Place in both directions in August 2020 using government funds.

Initially, drivers were banned from the lanes for 24 hours, but after pushback, the council changed it for the bus lanes to be operational at peak hours from Monday to Friday.

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The council later allowed motorcyclists, taxis, Neuron Mobility rental scooters, and Slough licensed private hire vehicles into the A4 bus lanes. Cameras were later introduced in May 2021 to catch rulebreakers.

According to a Freedom of Information request submitted by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), 1,720 motorists have been slapped with fines since enforcement started in May 2021.

The fines cost £60 or at a reduced £30 if paid within 14 days.

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The hotspot area motorists were caught the most was near the Eden Girls School traveling west on the A4 Bath Road where 680 vehicles were seen driving down the operating bus lane.

Heading towards Dover Road traveling west on the A4 saw the highest level of motorists being caught in the bus lane, totaling to 487.

Here is the breakdown by month:

 

A4 Bus Lanes Breakdown Chart since May 2021 when enforcement was introduced

A4 Bus Lanes Breakdown Chart since May 2021 when enforcement was introduced

Cllr Rob Anderson in front of an electric bus

Cllr Rob Anderson in front of an electric bus

 

Speaking to the LDRS, councillor Rob Anderson (Lab: Britwell & Northborough), lead member for transport and environmental services, said the number of motorists isn’t as high compared with other bus lanes in Slough.

Cllr Anderson cited the A4 bus lanes are costing more to maintain than the money it generates, which he stated is about over £50,000 since enforcement came into effect in May 2021.

Cllr Anderson said: “People have gotten used to it. Because it [the A4 bus lanes] was operating 24 hours during the Covid-19 emergency, people found it difficult to understand why they had to drive in a single lane at 10pm.

“When we moved it into peak hours, it had made a real difference.”

He added: “We need to keep using these experiments to keep the traffic moving and improving the air quality.

“We can’t carry on the way we are, and we do not want to go back to a gridlock A4. We got to do something.”