A motorist has won a landmark appeal over a £60 bus lane fine after a five-month battle with Glasgow City Council.

Colin Mackenzie was issued with the fixed pen­alty ticket in January for driving in a bus lane in Maryhill Road at Bisland Drive.

But he argued the sign was misleading - because it showed the bus lane in the wrong part of the road.

The 56-year-old, from Bearsden, who took his case to the parking adjudicator, has now received a letter from Glasgow City Council telling him his fine has been withdrawn.

Mr Mackenzie's winning fight could set a precedent for other drivers who may have been unfairly punished because of misleading signage.

The council has since removed the sign, but Mr Mackenzie urged drivers who have been caught in a city bus lane to challenge the decision.

He said: "The council has a policy of zero tolerance towards people who are caught in bus lanes, but that works both ways.

"If the signs do not comply then they can't fine people. It's as simple as that.

"I hope this case helps other drivers to come forward and not accept a fine from the council.

"I think the council should be taking the money they have made from the bus lanes and giving it to a good cause."

Mr Mackenzie said he was not against bus lanes - but he had concerns over the way they are policed.

The council launched its CCTV crackdown on bus lanes in April last year.

Drivers are liable to pay £60 if they are filmed at sites where number plate recognition cameras have been installed. The fine is reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days.

CCTV is installed at 11 locations on roads in the city, including North Hanover Street, Hope Street, Glassford Street and Argyle Street.

Mr Mackenzie said: "Bus lanes are there for a reason and I support of them.

"But it seems like this is a game to the council and a complete racket.

"This is a secret tax and the whole system needs to be overhauled."

A council spokesman said: "There are a number of signs and road markings clearly indicating this stretch of road is a bus lane.

"An additional sign was recently introduced, and subsequently removed because it was not as clear as the rest of the signage and road markings."

Figures revealed last week showed motorists in the city are paying £11,000 a day on average in bus lane penalties, more than three times the amount for drivers in Edinburgh and Aberdeen combined.

A Freedom Of Information request showed 174,448 penalty notices were issued to motorists caught driving in bus lanes in the city between April 23, 2012, and July 4 this year, an average of 397 per day.

As the Evening Times revealed in February, the council made more than £3.8million in fines in the eight months after the camera-backed enforcement was launched.

Glassford Street, in the Merchant City, was the most prolific money-generating street after being responsible for £700,000 received after 28,000 drivers were caught.

rachel.loxton@ eveningtimes.co.uk