Bus Lane Penalty Charge Notice

*starla*

Hi everyone,

I've read the article about parking fine reclaiming, but wondered if anyone has any advice/experience of bus lane penalities?

Basically I went to Sheffield last Saturday (I live in York) and drove into the centre, using a sat nav. I don't know Sheffield really so was depending on the sat nav which kept trying to send us down one way streets, turn ways that we couldn't due to restrictions etc.

This Saturday I got a penalty charge notice for going in a bus lane. I didn't even realise I had done it so was pretty surprised. However there is a picture of my car in a bus lane and it matches the time we were on our way in so it must have happened.

So really I have no grounds for appeal because I admit that I did it, I must have done and just not noticed at the time. However a charge of £60 (£30 if I pay in 14 days) seems a bit harsh for a small mistake and probably less than a minute spent in the bus lane!

I understand that they need to keep the bus lanes clear to make journeys quicker and encourage people to use public transport. But I didn't do anyone any harm or cause any danger (I can understand if I was speeding) - there is no traffic around at all on the picture.

I'm guessing there's not a lot I can do but cough up, but I wondered if anyone else had any experience or stories of bus lane PCN's?

I'm always cynical when people claim that councils are always trying to make a bit more money though penalty notices but I'm starting to believe it now, surely for something like this that is recorded on CCTV and uses numberplate recognition they could have a 3 strikes policy.

It's a shame because I like Sheffield but this has completely put me off going there and spending money in their shops in future.

Thanks

Starla

peter_the_piper

Same advice as for parking tickets, check out pepipoo as they specialise in this sort of thing and have access to legal minds. Start your own thread on the parking forums for a start.

espresso

*starla* wrote: »

This Saturday I got a penalty charge notice for going in a bus lane. I didn't even realise I had done it so was pretty surprised. However there is a picture of my car in a bus land and it matches the time we were on our way in so it must have happened.

Bus lanes are for buses, so pay up ASAP and save £30.

sarahg1969

Get on to the forums at www.pepipoo.com and get some helpful advice. They will want to see a full scan of the notice you've received (including the back). And they will want to see the bus lane and signs too.

If the council want to enforce regulations, then they must not only expect the driver to get it right, they must get it spot-on themselves.

peter_the_piper

At least the councils are given a set of rules to paint the lines in and to get the signs correct and they still manage to get them wrong, whereas a driver must get it right every time or else. I would agree to a fine if a driver deliberately ignored the rules and used a lane but to clobber you £120 for drifting a few inches over the line is too much. I suppose its too much to expect for a council to use a modicum of common sense when issuing fines.

sarahg1969

I agree. There's a problem in Lancs at the moment, where they've repainted zig zags outside schools and people are parking on them (grrrr - they should be shot, never mind ticketed). But they've not painted them properly, and in one case, they've painted them at the other end of the road to the school and on the wrong side!!!!

The DFT provides them with little pictures to copy, and they STILL cannot get it right. And yet they expect the driver not to make any mistakes. Unbelievable.

sarahg1969

robb01 wrote: »

Pay it early, this way you can save quite a lot of money

He could save even more if it's wrong.

saintjanet

I would pay it, not many get off on a technicality.If you were a footballer you could get off anything,allegedly!!!

Conor_3

peter_the_piper wrote: »

At least the councils are given a set of rules to paint the lines in and to get the signs correct and they still manage to get them wrong, whereas a driver must get it right every time or else. I would agree to a fine if a driver deliberately ignored the rules and used a lane but to clobber you £120 for drifting a few inches over the line is too much. I suppose its too much to expect for a council to use a modicum of common sense when issuing fines.

If you can't keep your car in a lane without drifting over a line, you're not fit to drive. If it were up to me, everyone who came up with that line as a defence would find their driving licence suspended on the grounds of incompetence and be told to take a driving test to get it back.

peter_the_piper

Under normal circumstances I'd agree with you but there are times when you would have to move over to the left or have a crash. Someone manoeuvring badly out of a side road for instance, or even a large lorry being driven past a parked car etc. The combination's are legion.

robt_2

I have no idea if you can appeal it or not.

But people who rely on satnav rather than signposts should be banned all together.