Free Traffic Legal Advice

Hi everyone, looking for some help in appealing this one. I was expecting it as soon as I realised what I had done on the day.

So allow me to explain what happened, I was driving out of the the road that I live on, onto the main road Romford Road. There was a vehicle driving in the direction that I was intending to travel in, I allowed it to pass and pulled out behind the vehicle. As I was pulling out onto the main road the vehicle in front was braking a lot sooner than I had anticipated, so I instinctively pulled in to the bus lane to avoid having to brake hard. As I was turning left at the next junction, I stayed in the bus lane. The distance between me entering the bus lane and the end of the bus lane is roughly 100 yards.

Now i'm not expecting Newham to believe my version of events, so i'm hoping I am able to appeal on any technicalities. Please help





Link to video:

There should be a sign warning you of the impending bus lane at the end of the junction. I would not say you knew the road.

Is there one?

So there is a bus lane sign on the corner where the side and main road meet, you can see it in the left corner of the video.

That's the sign  for traffic on the main road. There should be a sign on the side road as you approach the junction. I had a quick look on GSV and the latest view is 2015. This shows that no sign is present on Manor Park Road to warn of a bus lane when turning left. Of course the council will claim the main sign is sufficient, but this is false, because if you're turning left, your main focus as a driver is traffic approaching from the right.
So you need to check if any sign is there now.

The main problem you have so far is that the video doesn't support your narrative in your initial post. However, the absence of any warning of a bus lane to the left at the junction is in your favour.

+1
The key sentence is this: -

"The sign to diagram 962 should not be necessary where a bus lane commences downstream of
the junction, provided that a driver turning into the major road would see a sign to diagram 958
in good time to react to it"

Here, the bus lane commences immediately on making the turn.

Dear Newham

Ref:  PCN

I make the following challenge:

1. The alleged contravention did not occur as there was no warning signage of a bus lane at the junction. I rely upon:
   
Traffic Signs Manual, Chapter Three:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5c78f895e5274a0ebfec719b/traffic-signs-manual-chapter-03.pdf

9.3.16.  The sign to diagram 962 is most likely to be used where a nearside bus lane is on the
same side of the major road as the side road; in this case the arrow will point to the left.

2. I also consider the white line to be faint and not fit for purpose.

3. Explain why your manoeuvre was necessary here

4. I put you to strict proof that the camera used is approved. If you cannot provide this, the evidence is inadmissible.

In light of the above, please cancel the said PCN.

Reg. keeper


Address

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Please post up a final version first for any further advice.

Good to go IMO.

Failed to acknowledge any of the points raised! 

LOL. I get your frustration sc2509, I live in Manor Park myself and know that the Romford Road, eastbound towards ilford Bus Lanes are 4pm-7pm. Yet in the rejection letter, M Hussain (same person who replied to one of my PCN's with a generic crappy response) said the bus lane is 24h, 7d a week. Basically implies he didn't read anything and just rejected it without good reason...

We should be able to formally complain against some of these customer service agents at Newham Council. Terrible