There’s a timely warning for anything thinking of heading out to Cardiff in the coming weeks and months as new data reveals over 100,000 motorists have been caught in the city’s bus lanes over the past three years, generating more than £2.9 million in revenue for the council.

The figures, obtained through a Freedom of Information request by cinch, the UK’s biggest online used car retailer, show that Cardiff Council issued 100,263 bus lane Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) between Jan 2023 and Dec 2025.

The enforcement generated £2,942,882.65 in revenue over the same period.

Here’s how enforcement has broken down each year:

2023 PCNs issued: 39,096 Revenue generated: £1,162,609.06

2024 PCNs issued: 35,448 Revenue generated: £1,086,787.54

2025 PCNs issued: 25,719 Revenue generated: £693,486.05

The data also highlights the biggest enforcement hotspot in the city. Custom House Street (West Bound) recorded the highest number of penalties, with 20,920 PCNs issued between 2023 and 2025.

The data shows the number of people that paid their fine early each year: 24,195 in 2023, 23,862 in 2024, and 16,873 in 2025.

Thousands of motorists also attempted to challenge their fines, with 6,060 penalties upheld following appeals.

Ben Welham, motoring expert at cinch, commented: “Bus lanes are designed to keep traffic moving in busy city centres, but they can easily catch drivers out if they’re unfamiliar with the road layout or miss signage.

“Motorists can often accidentally enter a bus lane when following sat nav directions or when traffic suddenly merges near junctions. The safest approach is to always keep an eye out for road markings and time restrictions, especially in city centres where bus lanes may only operate at certain times of day.”