Drivers at Chatham’s new “no cars” bus station have been handed fines worth more than £80,000.

Medway Council’s controversial CCTV cars spent up to 60 hours a week clocking people who break new traffic rules – giving out a ticket every 11 minutes.

Soon they will be caught 24 hours a day on permanent cameras.

A civil servant who discovered the figures accused the car of being a “cash cow” and called for more warning signs at the bus station, which opened on October 10.

Only buses and taxis are allowed in for safety reasons, but father-of-two Brad Cook from Walderslade investigated after Google Maps directed him through Waterfront Way.

The 30-year-old, of Broadlands Drive, said: “There is a complete lack of signage as you go down Rochester High Street and Medway Street. I know the rules are the rules, but people have to understand what the rules are.”

Mr Cook, who works for the government, made a Freedom of Information request.

It revealed the spy cars spent 60 hours at the bus station in its first week, 47 in its second week and an average of 20 hours a week since – diverting them from duties outside schools and on main roads.

There was a month-long amnesty for confused drivers, but since then the council has issued 1,356 fines worth £60 each.

The figure, achieved in less than three months, is more than half the number of tickets given out in a whole year at Chatham’s previous blackspot, Clover Street.

Mr Cook said: “I’m shocked at the figures. Drivers obviously need to be educated.”

Campaigners for the NoToMob group, who want the cars scrapped, did educate drivers – by turning around scores of them in Medway Street using large “£60 fine” signs.

In total, 962 of the tickets have been paid, 745 at the quick payment rate of £30, netting the council £35,000. Drivers have appealed 125 times.

Cllr Tristan Osborne, spokesman for the Labour group which has called for a full review of the cars, said: “We are not surprised the CCTV car has been working flat-out to raise revenue.

“A full review should take place, with an option to scrap them if it believed to be in the public interest.”

A council spokesman, who said “the question about signage is answered in the fact that there are numerous signs”, revealed that automatic cameras will soon be installed.

The spokesman would not reveal the installation date, but an announcement was made and more detailed figures released on Wednesday after the Messenger asked for a comment.

Robin Cooper, Medway Council’s director of regeneration, community and culture, said: “I would imagine there is no bus station in the country where people are allowed to drive through as if it is an open road.”