1779 cheats spotted in single morning using bus lanes

Almost 1800 motorists have been spotted using bus lanes illegally during a single morning in peak-hour traffic around Auckland.

Research commissioned by the Auckland City Council revealed that during a single morning's peak-hour traffic in April, 1779 cars were seen illegally using bus lanes at 15 locations across the city.

More than 400 of those cars were using a bus lane on the Main Highway, Ellerslie, on the approach to Great South Rd.

In a bid to stamp out bus lane cheats, the council yesterday launched an advertising campaign reminding motorists to obey the bus lane rules.

The campaign, which includes advertisements on the back of buses, will thank motorists who use bus lanes correctly and remind those who don't to obey the rules.

Auckland has more than 26km of bus lanes across the city. On average, 37,000 private vehicles enter Auckland's CBD each morning in peak-hour traffic, the city council says.

Transport and urban linkages committee chairman Richard Simpson said the standard fine for illegally using a bus lane was $150.

He said the lanes offered quick, reliable travel for bus passengers, as well as motorcyclists and cyclists, but the benefits were lessened every time a car drove in them illegally.