BLACKBURN with Darwen Council has generated up to £2.7million from motorists encroaching on the Pennine Reach bus lanes, it has been revealed.

Since the introduction of the controversial lanes in October 2016, as part of the £40million Pennine Reach roads scheme, the authority has issued nearly 45,500 penalty tickets.

That figure was 24,488 in 2016/ 2017; 12,703 in 2017/2018 and 8,212 in 2018/2019.

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

Excluding duplicate tickets and those overturned on appeal that means the maximum the council could have generated since the introduction of the lanes is £2,710,560, while the minimum is £1,355,280.

Blackburn with Darwen Council’s highways boss Cllr Phil Riley has denied the lanes are a money-making scheme and said any funds generated are ringfenced to be spent on road improvements.

Cllr Riley said: “The bus lanes are there for a reason. They are there to support the transport network between Darwen, Blackburn and Hyndburn. We don’t go looking for reasons to issue tickets. But by definition we want them to be empty because we want people to be able to use fast public transport.

“Whilst it is unfortunate that 8,000 have been issued in the last 12 months, it is a good sign that people are getting used to the lanes because it is a significant drop on what it has been in the past. Hopefully the number of penalty notices we issue will continue to reduce in the future.”

Of the 8,212 tickets issued in the past 12 months, five were overturned on appeal and 38 were duplicates. Of the 12,703 in 2017/2018, 31 were overturned and 61 were duplicates, while of the 24,488 issued in 2016/2017, 26 were overturned and 71 were duplicates.

Darwen East ward councillor Roy Davies said he was gobsmacked by the figures and called for the money generated to be spent on improving road safety in the borough.

He said: “I am gobsmacked at the number of tickets issued in the first 12 months, the second 12 months and the third 12 months.

“A fair proportion of those tickets will have been issued to out-of-towners. My concern is they will receive this fine and not want to come back, which will have an impact on businesses in the borough. I also fear they will tell other people not to visit for fear of getting a ticket.

“The bus lanes are confusing. I just hope the money will be used to improve safety on the borough’s roads and installing safety railings where needed."