TfL Ref: FOI-1844-2425

Thank you for your request which we received on 6 September 2024, asking for information about bus lane contraventions.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.  I can confirm that we hold the information you require. You asked:

In the 2023/24 financial year please state what the income was to TfL from fines levied to people who breached bus lane regulations, and how much is an individual fine for such a breach.

For the financial period (Apr 6 2023 - Apr 5 2024) there have been a total of 22,604 the Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued for bus lane contraventions. The amount paid thus far is £1,186,296, this will increase as more PCNs are paid overtime. 

The penalty charge value for our bus lane contraventions is £160, reduced to £80 if paid within the discount period stated upon the PCN.

Could you also state which three bus lanes saw the greatest number of offenders in the 2023/24 financial year? Please state the name and location of the bus lane and the number of offenders caught in that lane in the 2023/24 year.

In accordance with the FOI Act, we are not obliged to provide the names of the bus lanes which saw the greatest number of PCNs issued, as it is subject to a statutory exemption to the right of access to information under Section 31 of the FOI Act, which relates to law enforcement. Specifically, we are refusing your request under Section 31(1)(b) and Section 31(1)(g) which relate to information whose disclosure would be likely to prejudice the apprehension or prosecution of offenders or the exercise of functions for the purpose of ascertaining whether any person has failed to comply with the law.
 
In this instance the exemption has been applied as disclosure of the information you have requested would reveal the likelihood of a driver being issued with a bus lane fine at the location you have asked about. The purpose of bus lane cameras is to assist with the safe and smooth flow of traffic on the TfL road network, and TfL has the power to issue PCNs where drivers contravene a range of restrictions on the network. If drivers are aware of how likely (and, by extension, how unlikely) they are to be issued with a PCN then it would encourage non-compliance with those traffic restrictions in the areas that are not covered or are covered to a lesser extent.
 
Disclosing information which reveals the number of fines by a specific location would reveal the level of enforcement activity carried out at the specific location, which would lead to a decrease in compliance with traffic restrictions at those locations. In addition this information could be used those who wish to use restricted bus lanes and avoid penalty charges for doing so. This would adversely affect the flow of traffic on the network and consequently bus journey reliability times. Disclosure of this information to you has to be regarded as a disclosure to ‘the public at large’.

The use of this exemption is subject to an assessment of the public interest in relation to the disclosure of the information concerned. While we recognise the need for openness and transparency by public authorities, in this instance we feel that the greater public interest lies in favour of withholding the information requested in the interests of law enforcement and the daily operation of a busy network, ensuring that we can effectively deter motorists from contravening the red route parking, stopping and moving traffic restrictions.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.

Yours sincerely

Eva Hextall

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London