VISITORS to Glasgow are getting up to twice as many bus lane fines as locals, with one claiming the discrepancy points to inadequate signs.

Figures revealed in a Freedom of Information request showed more people who didn’t live in the city were fined in an average month, compared to those with a Glasgow postcode.

The figures, for the Nelson Mandela bus lane, showed that in some months the figure was around twice as high for visitors.

The motorist behind the request wants to find out if visitors are losing out because locals are more aware of the issue. He has vowed to fight his two fines in court.

Julian Young, who said his first visit to the city was marred by his GPS twice taking him down a bus lane, said he was trying to establish “if the bus lane charges unduly punish drivers from outside the city.”

In his request, he wrote: “One would expect to see equal percentage increase or decrease of fines across both demographics if the signage and system is adequate.

“If there is not, then the signage and systems are clearly not adequate for visitors to the city and the only reason why a drop would be seen for Glasgow residents is through previous fines or word of mouth.”

The figures showed that last June 746 locals were fined, compared to 1,596 visitors. In May, 1,029 Glaswegians were fined, compared to 2,044 visitors, and, in April, the figures were 1,049 and 1,830.

In total, during a 12 month period after the lane was introduced, 69,480 fines were handed out to drivers - 31,072 to locals, and 38,408 to visitors.

The £30 fines, which rise to £60 if not paid within 14 days, are said to have generated £1.3m in a year from the Nelson Mandela lane alone.

Mr Young submitted the request via Freedom of Information website www.whatdotheyknow.com, saying he was fighting the fines in court, feeling they were “unfair and unjust.”

He wrote: “Having sought some legal advice, I am looking to challenge this in court with a judicial review and have been advised to submit a Freedom of Information request in regards to the statistics relating to these bus camera fines. If this has happened to me, then clearly it has happened to others visiting the city.

“Ten minutes on Google found well over 100 people admitting that their GPS had guided them down these streets and, like myself, they had not seen the signs until it was too late. There seems to be a lot of evidence online that visitors are failing to act on the signage present.”

A spokeswoman for Glasgow City Council said: “Driving in bus lanes has always been an offence for anyone other than authorised vehicles. They are the same as any other road restriction and are well signed.

“It doesn’t matter where you live or where you’re from. If a driver is found to be illegally driving in a bus lane a charge will be issued.”

The bus lane in Nelson Mandela Place has previously been criticised for a lack of adequate signage.

Figures showed it caught 50,000 drivers in its first six months - 10 times the number captured in the next most ‘productive’ lane - between July and December 2014.

The city council introduced new signs following a flood of complaints.

It is currently consulting on whether to limit bus lane operation hours to 7am-7pm.

Geoffrey and Dawn Bonelle are also taking on Glasgow City Council over the camera in Nelson Mandela Place which has raked in £1.3m from motorists in a single year.

They claim the original £30 fine - imposed after Mr Bonelle, 67, drove through the city centre bus gate in October, 2014 - was unfair due to a lack signs illustrating the ban.