Camden - (another) Southampton Row Bus Lane PCN

[holmes321]

So, got this one a couple weeks ago:

 

youtube.com/watch?v=zL9Orhx6Zok

 

 

Challenged the PCN, and was rejected by the council.

 

My grounds for challenge were:

 

1) No sign indicating end of bus lane

 

2) I travelled less than 20m in the bus lane

 

3) When my car comes to rest I am stationary ahead of the broken section, though the view is obscured and it is impossible to say that I am inside it.

 

4) I did not obstruct traffic flow

 

 

The reply from the council was along the lines of:

 

1) The bus lane end sign is further down the road, after the junction, and they sent me a picture of the sign about 150 meters down the road over the junction. - However, across the junction there is a sign to say that the bus lane restarts, therefore it must have ended(?). Equally, if the bus lane were to continue across the junction then a sign to say that there is a left turn then the red line across the top of the arrow should have been in place?. (apologies I cannot post images/links so my lousy description will have to suffice).

 

2) They chose to neglect the 20m guideline I spoke about.- In my draft of what I may (or may not) sent to PATAS I have shown using photos and the video exactly the distance that my car was in the bus lane (I mean, from when my first front/nearside wheel enters to when the solid white line becomes broken) to be 17 meters at the most.

 

3) Said that 'had a permitted vehicle been travelling in the bus lane I would have held it up' - I was stationary outside of the bus lane, so I wouldn't have?

 

 

Another thing of note is that they sent me the Notice of Rejection via email 6 days ago, but have not yet received a paper copy, nor a notice of appeal. Which I was waiting for before starting the PATAS thing (if I go ahead with that).

 

 

To me it seems fairly obvious that I haven't caused any traffic obstructions. Though I do accept that my car was fully in the bus lane for about 10m prior to it becoming a turning lane.

 

I have about a week until the £65 gets upped to £130. What would people's opinion be on should I go for the appeal or not? I'm a student so don't really have the money to chuck about if it doesn't get upheld. And I've seen similar cases go either way...

 

Thankyou in advance,

 

Chris

[green_and_mean]

You clearly entered at least two car lengths before the break in the lane to turn left and although not relevant your point about obstruction is flawed as you are in front of a taxi. The Council are correct in that an 'end of bus lane' is not required at each junction, the break in the solid white line is to allow you to filter left its not the end of the lane, if the lane had ended there would be no dashed line.

[holmes321]

Ahh, thanks for the reply. I thought it might be tenuous at best.

 

My assumption was that where the filter lane began the bus lane ended - therefore I had not travelled 20 metres in the bus lane. But if that isn't the case then I guess fair is fair.

 

Although, I would say that I've hardly 'held up' the taxi, as I'm stationary in the filter lane I just cut off the end of the bus lane to get there. Without causing ill effect to surrounding traffic flow. Another case of rules over reason but such is life.

[Guest]

did the ambulance get done?

[holmes321]

No idea. The camera seems to be quite intent on me unfortunately...

[Guest]

hi

was just wondering, the ambulance crossed the solid line, and the camera focused on their plate. wonder if they got done (no blue lights/emergency), if not, then why you and not them?

[holmes321]

hi

was just wondering, the ambulance crossed the solid line, and the camera focused on their plate. wonder if they got done (no blue lights/emergency), if not, then why you and not them?

 

I think it was focusing on the line under the ambulance, to illustrate it was a bus lane.

 

The 3 other cars in front of me all crossed it, admittedly somewhat further forward than me though.

[green_and_mean]

hi

was just wondering, the ambulance crossed the solid line, and the camera focused on their plate. wonder if they got done (no blue lights/emergency), if not, then why you and not them?

 

Ambulances are exempt vehicles

[Guest]

Ambulances are exempt vehicles

 

cheers, so even if not on an emergency call. are police and fire also exempt (non emergency)?

[green_and_mean]

cheers, so even if not on an emergency call. are police and fire also exempt (non emergency)?

 

Yes its the vehicle that is exempt not its activity, other vehicles however such as Royal Mail and dust carts are only allowed for as long as it takes to carry out their activity for example if a RM van needed to empty a post box it should enter just before the box and exit asap not drive down the bus lane to the box.

[Guest]

Yes its the vehicle that is exempt not its activity, other vehicles however such as Royal Mail and dust carts are only allowed for as long as it takes to carry out their activity for example if a RM van needed to empty a post box it should enter just before the box and exit asap not drive down the bus lane to the box.

 

cheers.