Free Traffic Legal Advice

Received a PCN today 7th for stopping in a restricted on Waterloo Road on 01/10/2025.

This section of Road, southbound off the roundabout has two lanes. The left lane, with no road markings on approach, runs into a lon, two bus length bus stop, which, I know know to be a restricted bus stop. There is no indication on roadsign or road markings that the lane does such, and the single, no stopping bus sign at the bus stop, is at the furthest end of the bus lane.

So, following a bus, waiting behind said bus for bus to complete loading, and prevented from moving off by traffic in the right hand lane, means I have been stationary at the bus stop unable to move, and the restriction hidden/obscured by the bus in front. The solid yellow markings on the roadway are faded and unclear.

Images below (Imagur no longer supported in the UK so selection of Lambeth evidence and Streetview (June 2025) below

url=https://postimg.cc/nXnMVQgf][/url]











Thoughts and advice appreciated!

PCN:
 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bIls9CK_y_ulGV7RjiOKn2BWmosPLG95/view?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NfSYh3a6pITKOtomGcWpj-Ljvil2DKWz/view?usp=drivesdk

And finally the CCTV

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tR1SzUo46sBMBCyCRwnHi8lURHSVCZj2/view?usp=drivesdk

Alex

Thanks, the bus stop in question

https://maps.app.goo.gl/oQ28unw8Y6D91v917

 

You haven't told us why you stopped. If it was to set down or pick up passengers, you can do this on a yellow line.

Thanks. I stopped in the flow of traffic for the bus ahead to complete loading at the bus stop. I was intending to turn left at the junction ahead of the bus stop therefore remained in the left lane, behind the bus, unaware of the restriction, because of the obstruction caused by the aforementioned bus. I did not set down, nobody entered or exit my vehicle.

OP, only you know how you entered the inside traffic lane and what happened while you were stationary. However, based on your account I suggest:

Contravention did not occur.

I was stationary at the bus stop as can be seen in the video. However, this was simply because I was stuck in a line of traffic, in this case behind a bus, and unable to get out. I therefore claim the exemption as follows:

Unable to proceed by virtue of circumstances beyond the driver's control

Prior to the location, Waterloo Road has two running traffic lanes and I was on the inner. When coming under the bridge there is nothing to suggest to a driver that the carriageway would reduce to a single traffic lane, even less that at the point immediately prior to this narrowing there is a bus stop. I followed vehicles along the traffic lane and then was forced to stop because the vehicle ahead, a bus, had also stopped. At this time I found myself at the bus stop as the filling in a bus sandwich with another one behind. The closeness of this bus and of me to the one in front meant that my rear view was obscured to such a degree that I could not extricate myself without fear of my offside wing being hit. I therefore sat and waited until the bus ahead moved off and which exact point I moved off as can be seen in the video. Not only did I move immediately, but I went straight ahead still being unaware that the road would narrow after no more than a few yards.

The  CCTV commences only when I was stationary and shows nothing other than me being stuck as explained above.

Yes I was stationary but no, a contravention did not occur for the reasons given and I should be grateful if the authority's consideration and response would focus on the why(circumstances beyond my control) and not the what which is not in dispute.