Ealing Council, Code 34j Being in a bus lane: Greenford road / Locarno Road, Greenford Southward (U)

1.TOPIC TITLE.
Ealing Council, Code 34j Being in a bus lane: Greenford road / Locarno Road, Greenford Southward (U)

I have only just seen this PCN, there must have been a delay in the post. Contravention was 27/11/2025 and I have received this one month later on 28/12/2025, though it does say it was issued 6 days after the alleged contravention.

2. Outline of case: I am the owner of the vehicle but I was not the driver at the time. It appears the car was turning left from a bus lane in advance of the junction by about 25m according to google maps.

3. Video of incident


4. My questions

a) What can I say in the best words to explain I just received the fine?
b) Can I argue the route appears clear to enter bus lane to turn left?
c) Image shows last letter of registration is not clear: could be L or E, can I argue this?
d) It states I can have formal representation if: the vehicle was being used without the owner's consent. It must have been used by someone with access to the keys who has not informed me. I have yet to find out who as nobody has said they were the driver yet. Can I argue this?
d) Anything else you advise?

5. PCN and images

Well sorry to bring bad news, but the video shows a clear contravention of the bus lane. Going into it to turn left is definitely not allowed. You undertook the queue and some of those vehicles could well have been waiting to turn left, and you gained an advantage over them waiting patiently.

However, if you are prepared to risk the full PCN penalty, you could gamble on this clause within the London Local Authorities Act 1996 which concerns procedures at an adjudication on the PCN at London Tribunals: -

31 Regulations

7 (6) Nothing in sub-paragraph (1) or (4) above makes a document admissible as evidence in proceedings under paragraph 6 above unless a copy of it has not less than 7 days before the hearing, been served on the appellant; and nothing in those paragraphs makes a document admissible as evidence of anything other than the matters shown on a record produced by a prescribed device if that person, not less than three days before the hearing or within such further time as the traffic adjudicator may in special circumstances allow, serves a notice on the council requiring attendance at the hearing or trial of the person who signed the document.
(my underline)

Appeals have been won at London Tribunals because the council have been requested to attend, and this must be the person who signed the certificatethat the video is a true record. Of course the council may decide to send the person, but so far none have.
Our Hippocrates can explain further, so hopefully he'll post here soon after the Christmas break.

Thanks, so you are saying I would serve a notice to the council to attend the tribunal is one option?

Before I go down that route, please could anyone reply to my list of proposal questions?

a) Image shows last letter of registration is not clear: could be L or E, can I argue this?
b) It states I can have formal representation if: the vehicle was being used without the owner's consent. It must have been used by someone with access to the keys who has not informed me. I have yet to find out who as nobody has said they were the driver yet. Can I argue this?

Thanks, so you are saying I would serve a notice to the council to attend the tribunal is one option?

Before I go down that route, please could anyone reply to my list of proposal questions?

a) Image shows last letter of registration is not clear: could be L or E, can I argue this?
b) It states I can have formal representation if: the vehicle was being used without the owner's consent. It must have been used by someone with access to the keys who has not informed me. I have yet to find out who as nobody has said they were the driver yet. Can I argue this?

Rgardinng (b) we don't do porkies on this forum.

1. Who was the driver? If it wasn't you, you will need to prove where you were at the time of the alleged contravention needless to say.

2. Assuming you have not challenged, wait for the Enforcement Notice and I'll advise further.

3. I would admit nothing. The video shows no upright  signage allegedly passed. Let them prove it was in place.

Hello,

I note your advice. However do I not need to reply within the 28 day period since the notice which was issued on 3/12/2025? 28 days will be Wed 31st December 2025 deadline. I think the PCN must have arrived delayed in the post on 27/12/2025.

I've checked again and yes there was no signage on the 2 photos and 1 video uploaded by Ealing council, except for the lane marking which said "bus lane"

Please advise about the deadline period of 28 days?

Thanks, Sid

Wait for the Enforcement Notice.

Dear moderators and advisors,

The "Enforcement Notice" has arrived as per below.  The advice previously was:

1) Go to Tribunal and ask the council to attend with a person who signature certified the video having to attend, bet they don't do and hence I win the appeal - would i have to physically attend for this?
2) Ask the council to prove that signage was present to inform me that the bus lane was in operation during that time.

Please advise what is the best plan and what I should do next? Thank you

Hi @Hippocrates, what's my best response please?

This is my planned response, please could experts advise me which box do i "tick", is it "There was no breach of the bus lane order or regulations"?

Dear Ealing Council,

The event occured on 27/11/2025 and I received the PCN letter more than one month later on 28/12/2025. I was therefore outside the 28 day period to respond and legal advice I sought advised me to wait for the enforcement notice before responding. I have now received the enforcement notice and would like to appeal for erasure of this PCN due to the following reasons:

My route from Croyde Avenue, turning right onto Greenford Road and then left into Locarno Road does not have the visible signage to indicate the presence of the Bus Lane, nor the hours of operation.  There is a faint appearance of the words bus lane at the end of the route, but this is not clearly visible and there are no hours of operation visible as shown by the screenshot and the route images below (5 images in total).

In addition, I received the PCN 32 days after the event and this is outside a reasonable window of time.

I therefore argue that the PCN is therefore invalid due to inadequate signage and duration of time lapsed until the PCN was served and so the PCN should be cancelled.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,
xxxxx