Drivers urged to comply or risk $410 fine as fresh set of road cameras officially switched on

Sydneysiders have been told the new cameras will begin operating in warning mode from Monday.

The Rozelle Interchange in Sydney is pictured beside an image if a speed camera.
Sydney residents have been told to be aware of new bus lane cameras. Source: TfNSW/Getty

A fresh set of road cameras monitoring bus lanes have been rolled out and switched on in a notoriously congested inner-city suburb, the latest to be installed among dozens of others around the city.

Sydneysiders, and in particular Inner West residents, have been told the new cameras, in operation on Victoria Road, between Hartley and Robert streets in Rozelle, will begin monitoring in warning mode from Monday, October 24, to enforce traffic rules in the new city-bound offset bus lane.

For the first month, warning letters will be issued to drivers caught using the bus lane illegally, allowing them time to adjust, but soon, fines will be handed down. A Transport for NSW (TfNSW) spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia there are almost 50 bus cameras in place around the city.

"TfNSW operates a variety of Bus Priority Enforcement System (BPES) to enhance efficient bus travel and prioritise public transport on our road network," the spokesperson told Yahoo. "These systems operate in 41 locations including on bus lanes, bus only lanes and T-ways."

A bus in a red bus lane in Sydney among traffic.
Sydneysiders are being urged to use bus lanes correctly or risk a $400 fine. Source: TfNSW

Duncan Lucas, Executive Director for Road Safety Regulation at Transport for NSW, said the cameras are designed to "enhance the efficiency of public transport" by "enforcing bus lane rules and reducing delays". "The new bus lane camera system will not only enforce compliance but also enhance safety for both passengers and motorists, contributing to a smoother flow of traffic," Lucas said.

Th Rozelle project is aimed at reducing travel times for up to 9,900 passengers on Victoria Road.

“This initiative is part of our ongoing commitment to prioritise buses and improve traffic management along Victoria Road, following the opening of the Rozelle Interchange," Lucas said.

General traffic cannot use the offset bus lane continuously, with exceptions for taxis, hire cars, bicycles, emergency vehicles, motorcycles and buses. "Local traffic can enter the bus lane for up to 100 metres to access businesses along the route," Lucas said.

"Illegal use of the bus lane can incur a fine of $410 and 1 demerit point."

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