ENFORCEMENT cameras installed in two bus lanes in South Gloucestershire have gone live.

The Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology at Highwood Road in Patchway and New Road and Brierly Furlong in Stoke Gifford are now in operation to crack down on drivers abusing the bus lanes.

South Gloucestershire Council, which has installed the cameras, said they will address the abuse of bus lanes and bus gates by unauthorised traffic and will help ensure the reliability of local bus services.

The authority said it had received reports from bus companies and members of the public that the bus lanes are being abused.

Chairman of the council’s communities committee Cllr Heather Goddard (Con, Hanham) said: “The council agreed its policy on bus lane enforcement cameras back in 2013.

“Since then, there have been a number of high profile cases nationally where bus lane enforcement has been criticised and we wanted to learn from those before switching on our cameras.

“We are not trying to catch anyone out, we want the cameras to be easily visible and we have made an effort to ensure that signs and road markings are as clear as possible to motorists.

“Hopefully motorists will avoid penalties by not driving in the lanes reserved for buses.”

Penalty notices will be issued to anyone who infringes the bus lanes and will include a secure web link to a video showing the offence.

The council said all infringement incidents would be reviewed by a qualified officer and exceptions would be made for emergencies.

For more information visit southglos.gov.uk/buslanecameras