Hi all

Hope someone can offer some advice. I got this PCN from London Borough of Redbridge from the other day.
Contravention 38l: Failing to comply with a sign indicating that vehicular traffic must pass to the specified side of the sign.
You can see where it was on
google street view on the link.
Whilst at the time I didn't think it would result in a PCN, I'm not going to lie and say 'I didn't pass through the gap in the middle' I know I did. And the video makes that very clear.
What I'm unclear on is whether I have a case of mitigation. I was directly behind a large white van. Who I think was too big to fit - it did try, mind. The van at first crept forward and attempted to make it through the bollards. Then it got stuck. Then it tried to reverse, scratching itself against the bollards. It was jammed in.
Hence, why I went around it, after first checking that there was no oncoming traffic. I'm now getting the PCN, but I'm not sure what alternative I had when the van was stuck and traffic was backed up behind me.
The images are below, but they are only a snapshot, and the 8 second video only shows me going around, it doesn't show ANY of the context before this. For instance, it doesn't show me waiting a good minute+ behind the van waiting patiently as it attempted to go through, nor does it show the van attempting to reverse and getting more stuck. I've seen another thread on here where someone argued something similar, but based on
that post, the van wasn't wedged between the bollards.
It would be good to know if I am able to appeal on the basis of the van blocking the barriers and moreso that it appeared to be stuck.
Link to photograph of contravention.Link to video of incident. I am the white Kia. The black audi in front was behind me, but went ahead (following another car), but they went through the other side's bollards, whereas I went through the middle section.
Any help would be greatly appriciated.
Thanks all