Free Traffic Legal Advice

I’ve received 2x PCNs for a bus gate violation on the morning of 24/10.

From reading other posts it appears it’s a new bus gate and a bit of a deliberate trap as I can see a number of other drivers who’ve been caught out.

Aware other posts have claimed the signage is accurate and appropriate.

Our only mitigating factors are as follows:

1. That we’ve driven that route many times before and weren’t aware of the change.
2. We would have avoided it if we’d have received the first PCN (the two contraventions were just 2.5h apart so received them both just this week)
3. I was dropping off my father for an appointment at the hospital that borders the bus gate.

Would appreciate any advice/if it’s worth appealing!

Thanks
Jack

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This is a new bus gate, and to be honest, it's difficult to see how you could miss it, based on what we have seen on the few other cases that have come to notice.  Did you not realise what the signs meant ?
I agree it is a trap, as it's located about halfway down the street. Problem is GSV latest is March 2022.  If you want to fight this, you'll need to do some legwork and take photos of any advance warning signs, (if there are any, of course !).

It may be well worth submitting representations saying you were taking your father to the hospital and were unaware if the new restriction. Main point is to make sure the two PCNs are considered together. You could request that at least the second PCN be cancelled as as well as driving to the hospital you drove your father back home, and say the two PCNs came as a considerable shock.  If you can get one PCN cancelled and pay the other at the discount, you will have got the most favourable result, in my opinion.
The really stupid thing about this bus gate is it is designed to remove through traffic, yet you were visiting the hospital which the restriction is designed to benefit traffic-wise. It's all part of council barminess that we now see almost as a disease in councils nowadays.

To John & Incandescent

Thanks so much for your help. It was my fault for missing the signage - like the other poster, I haven’t encountered many bus gates and I think I had other things on my mind that morning. No excuse!

Anyway, I’ve drafted a response and will try and return to collect some photos of the approach to the bus gate. In the meantime, any suggestions on improving this greatly appreciated.

Jack


I am contesting PCNs EF96635685 & EF96640652 issued for a bus gate violation on Bull Lane N18 at 09:45 and 12:16 respectively.

The journey was for an essential appointment for the treatment of my father’s cancer at North Middlesex University Hospital, which borders the bus lane. I have supplied proof of this appointment.

Having taken this journey many times previously, I wasn’t aware of the new bus gate. The lack of advance warning signs (supplied photos) meant I was caught unaware as I passed through.

Furthermore, I didn’t have the opportunity to learn from my mistake, receiving a second PCN for our return journey just 2.5 hours later.

I kindly request a review of both PCNs, with a request that at the least you would consider cancelling PCN EF96640652 for our return journey. Receiving these both came as a considerable shock and at a very difficult time for the family.

Thank you for hearing my representation.

The white van driver probably just adds PCN penalties onto his costs as a cost of doing business in London and prices his jobs accordingly. What else can one do !

Well, a certain road resurfacing company that frequently appears in the tribunal register used to do that, but not any more.

@jackdh I have a few ideas but I'll wait for you to post the photos.

Videos:





I've got The Enfield (Prescribed Routes) (No. 4) Traffic Order 2023 and it says the bus gate starts at a point 2.5 metres south of the northern kerb-line of the entrance to the yard outside No. 22 Bull Lane, if you look at that yard https://maps.app.goo.gl/Wbfue2hY1zLt184F6 that would place the start of the bus gate in the middle of the entrance, but that's not where the signs are, and the law says the signs must be as close as practicable to where the traffic order creates the restriction.

Would you be in a position to go back and get us some measurements with a long tape measure?

You'd also need to measure a distance of 14.2 metres south of the southern kerb-line of that entrance, as that is where the signs facing the other way are supposed to be.

I would pay the £65 and count yourself lucky they replied the way they did.