Nearly 7,000 motorists were fined more than $1.5 million for driving down a London road open only to buses and taxis, officials said.

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City officials said the junction between Vauxhall Bridge Road and Wilton Road in the Westminister area of London was clearly marked with signs warning of engineering work that made cars off limits for a month during March and April.

Some drivers, however, said the signs were confusing and they didn't deserve the $178 fine handed down to motorists who drove the road and were caught by a traffic camera, The Daily Telegraph reported Thursday.

"I went through this area, turned right and the next thing I know, a week or so later, I got a ticket," driver Mark Reed said.

The $178 fine could be reduced to $89 by paying the ticket within 14 days, Transport for London said.

Penalty Charge Notice, a motorists' rights group, said some traffic situations made it nearly impossible for drivers to comply with restrictions.

"Quite often there are too many signs and there are two restrictions operating at one location," an unidentified spokesman for the group said.