HERE is proof selfish city drivers are still risking a fine by using bus lanes.
Last night the Evening Times revealed almost 39,000 motorists have been issued with fixed penalties since a new clampdown was introduced in April.
In just 11 weeks, they have been issued with fines totalling more than £1.1million after being caught on camera breaking the law.
We decided to get out on the streets of Glasgow to see for ourselves if the message was finally getting home. But in just 30 minutes one of our photographers spotted eight drivers using the bus lane behind Queen Street Station on Bath Street.
One driver was spotted on the road TWICE in just 20 minutes while two others travelled along the bus lane in the WRONG direction.
That is despite clear signs saying bus lane cameras are in operation and that the road is one way.
Motorising organisations the AA and the RAC admitted they were taken aback at the massive number of people caught flouting the law in just 11 weeks.
Professor Stephen Glaister, RAC Foundation director, said, 'Whilst the RAC Foundation supports traffic management measures to make bus use more attractive, we are shocked at the number of penalties issued to motorists who have strayed into the city's bus lanes.
"Whilst Glasgow City Council has made a cool million pounds from bus lane penalties over the past 11 weeks it should prepare for a heated debate with motorists.
"Motorists do not use bus lanes if they know it will result in a £60 fine.
"We should like to see a review of the penalties issued to identify any 'hot spots' such as left turns both into and out of the main traffic flow.
"Whilst there are strict rules governing bus lane signs and lines, there may be a case on some roads to look at junction designs in more detail."
Paul Watters, head of road policy at the AA, also questioned the huge numbers caught on camera.
He said: "Either the advertising has gone wrong or the signing is not very clear. It can't all be down to deliberate behaviour because it is costing drivers quite a bit of cash.
"However Glasgow is a busy city and bus lanes have not been enforced like this before.
"But it would be much better if authorities cracked down on the persistent offenders rather than those who have made a mistake.
"If the council wants to get a change in behaviour this is one way of doing it but the other way is a campaign to try to get the message across without hitting drivers with a penalty."
Jim Coleman, the city council's transport spokesman, pointed out that the authority ran a month long campaign raising awareness of the clampdown before issuing the first fine.
He said: "Selfish drivers who misuse bus lanes cause delays to buses and frustrate other drivers who abide by the rules.
"We expect the enforcement will result, as it has in other cities, in improved bus reliability, increased road safety and more use of bus lanes by pedal cyclists.
"Effective and efficient bus lane enforcement will enable easier and more consistent journey times for buses through congested areas by allowing the free flow of bus lane traffic.
"By improving the public transport network we hope to encourage commuters to choose more environmentally friendly forms of travel and thereby reduce Glasgow's CO2 emissions.
"Around £30m was invested by the council, First Glasgow and the Scottish Government, in a bid to improve public transport in the city and the bus lane enforcement scheme will help to get full benefit from that."
vivienne.nicoll@ eveningtimes.co.uk