After a spy camera caught 3,465 motorists driving along a 20-metre bus lane, up to £210,000 has been raked in by a council in fines in just seven months.
In Hanley, the drivers have been snared by Stoke on Trent City Council's CCTV car parked on the corner of Huntbach Street.
For driving on the bus lane which leads to two car parks behind Boots and Marks and Spencer they were hit with £60 fines.
Motorists who do not drive along the bus lane face a 1.3-mile detour along Potteries Way to access the two car parks in Meigh Street.
Now drivers have accused the council, which needs to save £35.6 million this year, of making easy money with the cameras
5,361 motorists have been fined for driving on Stoke-on-Trent's nine bus lanes since the cameras were introduced in October, show figures obtained by The Sentinel.
More than 66 per cent of them have been caught in Huntbach Street.
A further 1,488 were caught in Stafford Street, Hanley; 221 in Hinde Street, Hanley, and 129 in Christchurch Street, in Fenton.
If paid within a fortnight the £60 fine is reduced to £30.
Council officials today stressed the Huntbach Street bus lane had been prominently advertised and followed a full consultation.