AMBULANCE crews are being fined for driving in bus lanes, and banned from public transport lanes when not on a 999 emergency, according to their union.

Unison claim many ambulance drivers have received penalties for using lanes in York and Bradford to avoid traffic and speed up journeys for patients needing vital care, and warned that patients could end up stuck in traffic congestion if the fines continue.

Richard Bentley from Unison's Yorkshire Ambulance Service Branch the union's annual health conference in Bournemouth he can use bus lanes in Leeds but not in other cities.

The paramedic said: "If I leave Leeds and head to Bradford or York, I'm subject to a £60 fine.

"That's if I forget I'm not allowed to use their bus lanes.

"Several colleagues have fallen foul of this and there's nothing we can do."

Joel Byers, the union's North East Ambulance Service branch secretary, said: "If ambulance services use taxis to transport patients, those vehicles can use bus lanes yet ambulances designed for that very purpose will be fined."

Some councils have dropped fines following appeals, but drivers' time is wasted on paperwork, said Unison.

National ambulance officer Colm Porter said: "Crews need to get patients to hospital quickly but not every call requires lights and sirens.

"Councils must stop leaving crews out of pocket for putting patients first, and being taken out of action because they then get stuck in traffic jams."