Bus lane PCN

Van Dam

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I recently received a PCN for driving in a bus lane in North London. There are photos of my vehicle allegedly showing that I was in the bus lane but I am hoping to challenge it on the grounds that one of the photos do not show conclusively that it was my vehicle that was driving in the bus lane.

First pic is taken at 16.53. My car is behind the taxi. There is another photo taken (same camera) at 16.54 with a close up of my number plate from the rear but it does not show that I was actaully in a bus lane. Furthermore, on the PCN itself there is no mention of the hours of use for being in a bus lane. The contravention states only: Being in a bus lane. I guess also that may be grounds for representations?

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I would reply asking for picture of you in the bus lane with a clear view of the registration plate. If they fail to provide one then challenge it
From that picture it does not show the registration so is inconclusive
 
I would reply asking for picture of you in the bus lane with a clear view of the registration plate. If they fail to provide one then challenge it
From that picture it does not show the registration so is inconclusive
They only captured the reg from a close up of the rear so i will ask for evidence as suggested. Thanks for your help.
 
Were you actually in the Bus lane and are trying to get out of the ticket? Or are you saying you weren't in the Bus Lane?
 
If you are guilty I would just pay the fine and take the points. Not worth the hassle if you know you are guilty.
 
They made the rules and the camera systems are set up to enforce them. There is next to no chance of getting away with it unfortunately but good luck.
 
If you are guilty I would just pay the fine and take the points. Not worth the hassle if you know you are guilty.
What points? You don't get points on your licence for bus lane infringements. If they can't prove it was definitely me in that bus lane then I ain't paying jack mate. Not sure about you but at £130 i wouldn't say the hassle is not worth it.
 
They made the rules and the camera systems are set up to enforce them. There is next to no chance of getting away with it unfortunately but good luck.
I'm not sure all bus lanes operate the same way, especially outside of London. I was in the bus lane because i was sure at the time it was outside the hours of operation. On the PCN ticket there is no mention of the hours of use for the bus lane or indeed if I was using the bus lane during the restricted times. So it could be a genuine mistake on the council's part. Who knows?
 
That is the raw picture, maybe they were able to enhance the image enough to identify the car.
After all, they know which digits are letters and which numbers.
 
You've got no chance! They haven't put an enforcement camera there on the hope its caliberated right and clearly it is because they've sent you the PCN!

The "hours of operation" is an absolute dead end because its busy as fudge in broad daylight and your 30m behind a bastard bus ***. Its not like you've jumped in that lane at 3am.

Some people :facepalm:
 
Yep.
Man up.
 
They don't need to tell you what time it's in use, it'll be on the sign where the bus lane is. They also don't have to supply you with any evidence of it, that only comes if you challenge it. You could face a lot more cost if you challenge and lose
 
You've got no chance! They haven't put an enforcement camera there on the hope its caliberated right and clearly it is because they've sent you the PCN!

The "hours of operation" is an absolute dead end because its busy as **** in broad daylight and your 30m behind a bastard bus ***. Its not like you've jumped in that lane at 3am.

Some people :facepalm:

So what if it's busy? That's completely irrelevant. I drive in bus lanes all the time when they are not in use and the roads are still jammed. Bus lanes in London have different hours of operation, some are 24hrs and some are only morning and/or afternoon. You've clearly never driven in London or you'd know about it.

Yep.
Man up.

Man up? What's there to man up about? If I've only got 5% chance of getting off then I'll take my chances.
 
They don't need to tell you what time it's in use, it'll be on the sign where the bus lane is. They also don't have to supply you with any evidence of it, that only comes if you challenge it. You could face a lot more cost if you challenge and lose
It's at enforcement notice stage so £130 but if I contest and lose it will remain at that so I'm not risking anything by contesting the ticket.
 
So what if it's busy? That's completely irrelevant. I drive in bus lanes all the time when they are not in use and the roads are still jammed. Bus lanes in London have different hours of operation, some are 24hrs and some are only morning and/or afternoon. You've clearly never driven in London or you'd know about it.



Man up? What's there to man up about? If I've only got 5% chance of getting off then I'll take my chances.

I've driven in London and I'm from Coventry yet im not daft enough to follow a bus in a bus lane in one of the most camera covered places in the uk wondering if the lane is active.


Good luck appealing it i genuinely hope you get out of it but you won't. Your just delaying the fine thats all. Not a bad tactic if your waiting for payday but thats about all.
 
The fine is £65.00 if you pay up within 14 days, so you can avoid the £130.00 hit.

There can be several ways to get a bus lane fine quashed, but ultimately it is up to you to prove their error. Do some research on the Web and find out what you need to prove (signage/road markings, de minimis etc.)

Many Council's KNOW some of their bus lanes and enforcement practices are not strictly legal but carry on enforcing regardless because the majority of people pay up without question to avoid hassle. The few who do fight and get enforcement cancelled are a minor blip to their cash cow operation.
 
I would check the operating times of the bus lane and if 16:53/4 are within those times, save yourself £65 and pay up. What you are doing is playing double or quits when the odds are stacked massively against you. You should only play that game if you have a 50:50 or better chance of winning.

Edit: re-reading your post perhaps you have passed the 14 day half price limit, so what I said doesn't apply :(.
 
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surely the fact that there is NO other traffic in the bus lane apart from buses and taxis almost CERTAINLY gives away the fact that it's in operation at the time your are driving in it??

Why would every other car/road user NOT be in it??

Just pay up surely and move on with your life. You've admit you were in the lane at the said time, you got the PCN, so they can clearly read the registration plate. I'm not really sure what your hoping to get away with here??
 
surely the fact that there is NO other traffic in the bus lane apart from buses and taxis almost CERTAINLY gives away the fact that it's in operation at the time your are driving in it??

Why would every other car/road user NOT be in it?
Because they aren't aware that bus lanes may operate part-time..
 
Because they aren't aware that bus lanes may operate part-time..

that might be the case but looking at the 18/20 cars not in the bus lane in the picture seems to suggest by the law of averages that the bus lane time IS in operation and the OP is in the wrong by being in it.
 
Whether the bus lane was active could probably be determined in minutes. @Van Dam where exactly was it?, I'm sure people on here will assist in tracking down the operating hours.
 
Whether the bus lane was active could probably be determined in minutes. @Van Dam where exactly was it?, I'm sure people on here will assist in tracking down the operating hours.

Bus lane was active from 16.00 to 19.00. Clock in my car was an hour behind as I forgot to change it when the clocks went forward. Gutted :(
 
Ouch :(
 

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