More than 6,600 drivers have been slapped with fines worth £400,000 in the first three weeks of Glasgow's new bus gates.

Camera-controlled lanes at Union Street and Oswald Street at either side of Central Station have picked up thousands of drivers since the gates went live at the beginning of September.

Information gathered by the Sunday Post revealed the cameras issued 6,651 fines - more than 300 per day - in their first three weeks of operation.

Although installed on September 2, the cameras only began issued fines on October 10 after Glasgow City Council spent several weeks erecting better signage.

The figures reveal a stark difference in Scotland's other major cities, with Aberdeen and Edinburgh issuing a combined 56,000 fines across 12 months.

READ MORE: Drivers go through bus gates on first day of new system

Glasgow City Council said it expected the number of fines issued to fall - despite the bus gate on Nelson Mandela Place issuing tens of thousands of tickets per year.

The AA has described the figures as 'depressing', and have slammed the council for not allowing drivers to pass by with a warning for longer, while the city became accustomed to the new layout.

"If you are not sending out warning letters during a short grace period of around two weeks, as set out in the Department for Transport guidance, you are not giving people a reasonable chance," said the AA's Luke Bosdet.

"We applaud the council for improving signage, but warning letters are part of the learning process.

"Otherwise, it's just about them trying to get as much money as they can out of drivers. It is very clear to us that the role of car fines is to prop up coffers.

"The number caught here is depressingly high."

Any driver who is caught driving through the bus gate receives a £60 fine, which would be reduced by 50% if paid within 14 days or increased to £90 if unpaid within 28 days.

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: "It is disappointing so many drivers have failed to observe the clear warnings provided for them and have continued to drive through the bus gates.

READ MORE: Bus gates to reduce traffic congestion

"The extensive road markings and signage put in place to inform drivers of the bus gates go far beyond what is legally required.

"Enforcement action is needed for some drivers to comply with the road regulations and we fully anticipate these numbers will drop in future.

"The new arrangements will improve journey times through the city centre and help to make the bus a more attractive travel option in Glasgow."