Nearly 500 drivers have have been stopped for flouting the new bus lanes in Colchester.

A week-long police crackdown, which ended yesterday netted 473 motorists who had ignored the restrictions.

And about 11 of these could face court proceedings though they may not even know they have been caught, because police officers took down details of some cars which had driven illegally down the lanes without stopping the drivers.

They will be contacted in due course and could face prosecution. Nearly 300 motorists were given £20 fines and a further 165 were given verbal warnings.

The blitz targeted three bus lanes in Maldon Road, North Station Road and North Hill.

Det Sgt Roy Clark, of Colchester police, said: "Although the bus lanes are relatively new we felt people had had enough time to acclimatise to them."

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