We have no sympathy for motorists who are being fined for driving through the bus gates in Oxford - they must go around with their eyes closed.

Signs have been up for EIGHT years saying clearly that cars are banned from the city centre from 7.30am to 6.30pm.

When the law finally caught up and allowed enforcement, notices went up all around the city warning drivers that D-Day was three weeks away, then two weeks, then one week.

The Oxford Mail has given extensive coverage to the new regulations.

Even the county council showed surprising benevolence to the motorist, giving a period of grace before bringing in fines.

Yet we report today that motorists are facing more than £47,000 in fines after the first week of penalties being imposed.

Either they are deliberately breaking the law, or they have been oblivious to all the publicity.

The latter is perhaps more worrying than the former. If motorists are so unobservant, it cannot say much for their driving abilities.

Of course, there will be a silver lining. The money collected in fines will be ploughed back into future transport projects in the city, for the benefit of us all.

Thank you, lawbreakers.