Drivers fined more than lb1billion a year by cash-strapped local councils

MOTORISTS are now being fined a lot more than lb1billion a year – sparking claims they are receiving treatment like a “cash cows”.

An RAC Foundation report reveals that 12 million penalty notices receive out each year, the equivalent of one every 2.5 seconds.

It implies that nearly a third of Britain's 40 million drivers are slapped with fines.

The majority – a whopping 8 million – are for parking.

Today's report also reveals fines for driving in bus lanes has also gone up ten-fold to at least one.4million during the last decade.

Tory MP Charlie Elphicke told The Daily Mail: “This is yet more evidence of how local councils are using motorists as cash cows to plug gaps in their own finances.

"It's high time that they stopped using fines to fleece motorists.

“There is indeed a concern that camera are used to pursue easy pickings when more ought to be done to tackle dangerous driving.”