Councils stung motorists with at least £30m in fines last year for bus lane infringements alone, according to new figures.
A Freedom of Information request conducted by The Times showed that councils have rapidly accelerated the amount of fines issued for bus lane offences.
In 2014, councils issued motorists with one million penalties compared to 321,000 in 2010.
According to the figures, Glasgow City Council issued the largest number of fines at 131,238 ? it had issued none in 2010. Birmingham issued 73,534 penalty notices, Manchester issued 77,240 and Leeds reported 64,758 fines.
Sixteen of the 50 councils who provided information to the paper said they had started enforcing bus lanes within the past five years.
A spokesman for the Local Government Association said: ?'Bus services are vital if our high streets are to regain their former prosperity.?'
AA spokesman Paul Watters described the figures for Glasgow as 'crazy and inexplicable'.
'We need to try to figure out if ?the problem lies with the signage or the traffic management. You would assume drivers ?don’t deliberately drive in a bus lane to get a fine,' he added.
'Glasgow City Council in ?particular should be analysing the data to see why so many people are noncompliant. The council should be getting data from the system to find out who’s getting it wrong. Is it locals, strangers to the city or a small band of repeat offenders? If the council are not ?trying to find out then they stand accused of simply profiteering.'
Glasgow city Cllr Alistair Watson, executive member for ?sustainability and transport, told local papers: 'Camera enforcement has proven to be an effective deterrent but ?there are some drivers who continue to break the law.
'The enforcement of bus lanes exists to provide clear lanes for buses and help improve journey times within the city.'
Penalties for bus lane contraventions in London are issued under the London Local Authorities Act 1996. Outside London the legislation is the Transport Act 2000. Moving traffic contraventions are enforced in London under the London Local Authorities and Transport for London Act 2003.
