Free Traffic Legal Advice
Live cases legal advice => Civil penalty charge notices (Councils, TFL and so on) => Topic started by: suspiciousminds on March 25, 2025, 09:31:48 am
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Hi there,
I have a bus lane PCN from Gateshead Council. I felt at the time like I had fell into a trap and since appealing and submitting a FoI request for the bus lanes numbers it has confirmed my belief.
Key info - The main bypass through Gateshead to get to Newcastle has been closed since 6th Dec 2024 due to structural concerns. I believe it has now just re-opened Mid March following works to rectify.
On 4th Feb 2025 as I got to the flyover towards Newcastle it was closed. There was a diversion in place which directed traffic off to the left and onto High West Street. I was not familiar with this area.
It was dark but I was looking for further yellow diversion signs to see where to go next.
I reached the traffic lights where you can go left/right or straight on. There were no yellow diversion signs at all so with little time to make a decision I decided to carry on straight.
I only know this now - once you go across the crossroads its not immediately a bus lane. It quite subtly turns into a bus lane. The only way to avoid is to U-turn but they conveniently put the small sign at the point where you need to U-turn so going at 30mph while looking for non-existent yellow signs in the dark - Its no surprise I have missed this.
I realised that it was a bus lane only when I was already in it as its written on the road. Pretty pointless as its single lane and if youre reading that its already too late - you've been caught.
The councils argument against this was that they didn’t direct me into a bus lane. But the fact is they didn’t direct me anywhere which led to this confusion.
HERES THE RUB....
The FoI numbers show that the PCN's issued during the months of Dec/Jan/Feb have in fact TRIPLED since the months prior to the closure. Approx Average has increased from 500 to 1500 per month! At £35 a pop (or even £70) its a handsome amount of profit.
Due to this information, I now have a video hearing on 1st April where I am not just going to plead my case, but also advise that all the people that have received a PCN on this bus lane during the closure are refunded. I think its clear how they have funded the remedial works to the flyover and in total this could be anywhere between £150k-£300k.
If it is ruled against me I was thinking that it may be of interest to the local news....
Any advice?