34 motorists ticketed in 12 years for Wycombe bus lane misuse - yet the authorities do not know who should enforce the rules

And the authorities cannot agree between them who should enforce the rules.

Buckinghamshire County Council Cabinet member for Transportation Cllr Peter Hardy said he is “very disappointed” the bus lane is not being enforced by police and will launch an investigation into the issue.

But Wycombe's Deputy Area Commander Ch Insp Colin Seaton hit back, saying the Loudwater-to-Wycombe lane is a matter for both officers and council chiefs.

Arriva Buses, one of the main parties supposed to benefit from the bus lane scheme, said it was “concerned” and senior councillor Julie Wassell said the lack of enforcement was “making a mockery” of the project.

A Freedom of Information request by the Free Press to Thames Valley Police revealed officers have handed out just 34 fixed penalty notices to drivers for using the bus lane during restricted hours since 1999.

TVP added that the force was not directly responsible for enforcing the bus lane but steps in when officers notice traffic infringements.

The BFP surveyed the A40 lane opposite Mr India between 4pm and 5pm on Tuesday and 8.50am and 9.50am on Wednesday (see video above).

And, not including taxis, 189 motorists were clocked by our team flouting the rules in two one hour periods on just one section of the London Road - more than five times the amount ticketed by police in the last 12 years.

The BFP counted 33 buses using the lane during the same two hour survey.

A similar exercise by the Free Press in 2007 discovered 37 cars broke the bus lane regulations in just 20mins during the evening rush hour (see links below).

The BFP handed a dossier of its findings (see below) to Cllr Hardy on Wednesday.

He said: “I am very disappointed the police are not actively enforcing the bus lane, which forms an important part of our commitment to public transport.

“The council currently has no legal powers of enforcement as regards to bus lanes.

"We will now look urgently with the bus operators and the police at all aspects of the operation of the bus lane - including enforcement.”

Ch Insp Colin Seaton told the BFP the enforcement of traffic regulations is the ‘joint responsibility of everyone, council and police’.

He added: “If we see offending motorists using the bus lane in a manner that could cause harm to others then we will enforce the regulations.”

In a statement Arriva said: “We are concerned by the number of vehicles abusing the bus lane and this can cause unnecessary delays on a section of route where we have just introduced a better coordinated seven-to-eight minute frequency and we would urge the proper enforcement takes place.

“We work very closely with BCC and have signed up to a Punctuality Improvement Partnership which seeks to introduce measures to improve the reliability of bus services. We will raise this issue at the next meeting.”

London Road resident and Liberal Democrat Cllr Julia Wassell said the lack of enforcement makes a mockery of the scheme.

But added she does not want transport bosses to make knee-jerk reactions by installing traffic cameras or axing the project altogether.

She said: “I would be reluctant to give the bus lane up as we would find more problems with congestion. But there should be better enforcement.

“I think random police spot checks would have the desired affect but I wouldn’t want cameras put up and motorists hit with tickets for moving into the lane for a legitimate reason, which would be wrong.”

Reporter Jade Coulon hands over the BFP's report to Cllr Peter Hardy.

Readers have flooded the BFP’s offices with letters against the controversial scheme, which was introduced on March 3, 1997.

Graham Gibb said he avoids the London Road when he can and says motorists “can’t seem capable of reading the signs”.

Tony Martin says the A40 is used like a dual-carriageway out of bus lane hours and Jeff Manser called it “hazardous” and a “waste of time”.

A handful of readers have leapt to the defence of the bus lane, Kathy Dix and Mr DW Abbott both believe removing it would increase congestion.

The bus lane is in operation between 7am-10am and 4pm-6.30pm, Monday to Friday.

Only buses, taxis, cyclists and motorcyclists are supposed to use the lane during these times.