Thousands of fines were issued to drivers illegally using the bus gateThousands of fines have been handed out in the first year of the bus gate’s operation(Image: LDRS)More than £1 million worth of fines have been issued to drivers for illegally using a bus gate introduced last year. The Mill Road bridge bus gate in Cambridge came into effect on March 11, 2025, banning vehicles except for buses, emergency services, taxi and blue badge holders’ registered vehicles from driving the full length of the road.A Freedom of Information request submitted by the Local Democracy Reporting Service reveals that thousands of fines have been issued in the year since. Cambridgeshire County Council has issued a total of 15,483 fines to drivers as of April 29 – worth up to a total value of £1,083,810.This figure does not take into account any discounts applied – such as the 50 per cent reduction if the fine is paid within three weeks. A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire County Council said the restrictions are “clearly signposted” and help make Mill Road an “enjoyable” and “safe place to visit”.They said: “Mill Road bridge is open to buses, those walking, wheeling, and cycling, emergency services, taxis, and vehicles that are exempt, such as those being driven by blue badge holders.“Mill Road is the centre of a community. We want it to be an enjoyable, safe place to visit and to encourage more people to come into the area. Reducing motorised through traffic and installing the bus gate helps achieve this.”Anyone driving illegally through the bus gate can be issued with a Penalty Charge Notice of £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days. Failure to pay the fine within 28 days will result in the charge increasing to £105.It was the second time Cambridge County Council agreed to issue a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to install the bus gate after a first attempt was quashed after a legal challenge.In the first seven weeks of the bus gate being fully operational, 4,677 fines were issued to drivers who breached the restrictions. A formal warning period was in place at the start of 2025, issuing warnings to drivers who breached the restrictions but not actual fines.
Fines total up to £1 million in first year of Mill Road bus gate
