SOUTHAMPTON City Council raked in almost £2 million in one year from parking fines and drivers caught using bus lanes, it has been revealed.

Figures, revealed through a Freedom of Information request, show the council issued almost 90,000 fixed penalty notices between May 2018 and May this year.

Of those, more than 65,000 were for parking-related offences, while more than 22,000 were issued for drivers caught using bus lanes in Southampton.

The bus lane fines alone resulted in the council netting more than £500,000 – £150,000 more than in 2017 – while parking fines resulted in the council bringing in almost £1.5 million.

The figures have sparked Southampton Itchen MP Royston Smith, a former city council leader, to describe the current council as “anti-motorist”.

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The Conservative MP said: “Southampton’s Labour Council is just about the most anti motorist council anywhere in the country.

“This is the same council that tried to charge some vehicles £100 per day to enter the city.

“While they moan and whine about perceived government cuts to the city’s budget they hit motorists with millions of pounds in charges, penalties and fines.”

The figures have also raised concern from motoring group the AA.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA said “At a time when local authority funding is being further reduced, it is little wonder that drivers become a target to help fill the hole in a council's budget.

“Over 22,000 bus lane fines have been issued in the past year. Rather than simply accepting the income in excess of £500k, drivers would want changes made to the signage so it is simple and clear when any restrictions are in place."

Mr Cousens said the AA also urged the council to adopt a warning policy for first offenders.

Bus lane cameras were first introduced in the city in 2016 with cameras in Shirley Road, New Road and Northam Road.

In February 2018, the council installed new bus lane cameras on Vincent’s Walk.

City council transport boss, councillor Jacqui Rayment, has defended the use of bus lane cameras.

She said: “The objective of our bus lane camera enforcement is to improve the safety and flow of bus lanes.

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“This is a way of improving sustainable travel around the city and we hope this will encourage more people to use buses, help reduce congestion and improve air quality in the city."

Cllr Rayment added that the income from fixed penalty notices was reinvested into improvements to roads and transport in the city.