(Drafted this last night, and wish I hadn't bothered with all my pish before the article now, but rather than delete it I've just left it
)
Can't really get my head round this, apart from the obvious stuff about the bus lane tickets being misdirected.
But you'd think that since they know the registration number then they'd be able to trace the driver easily enough via the previous registered keeper address, or whatever.
And, I mean, presumably because it's a licencsed taxi then they'll have checked the V5C in terms of the address he used for the application, thus another way to trace him.
And assuming the number plate is a legitimately registered number then it's easy enough for the council here to trace him via the licensing register?
Only thing I can think of really is that it's not a local taxi, but if it's been on this bus lane so often then the licensing authority can't be far away, surely?
Of course, the driver angle may all be being dealt with behind the scenes, or done and dusted already, while the article simply gives the incorrect impression that he's unknown.
But the other angle is that, even assuming it's a genuine error, why is the driver incurring so many fines in the bus lane anyway?
Only thing I can think of is that he's either non-local and uses the lane a lot, or is local and taxis aren't exempt from the lanes.
And he's then registered with a false address the avoid the fines, but subsequent to licensing the cab etc, so they didn't pick up on it.
But why you'd ever think you'd get away with this, especially the volume of transgressions...
So maybe just exceptionally desperate or exceptionally stupid. Or maybe both
'It's either an innocent mistake or he's trying to get away with it'https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... s-31792025Anna Brunskill feared she might be dragged to court over the fines - despite the fact she had no idea who the vehicle belonged to
A mum was bombarded with bus lane fines after a 'rogue' cabbie 'registered his taxi at her address'.
Anna Brunskill feared she might be dragged to court over the fines - despite having no idea who the vehicle belonged to. The mum-of-two received a notice from the DVLA on April 23 telling her a vehicle had been registered at her address with a name she did not recognise.
Since then the 49-year-old has received 11 £70 bus lane penalty notices, racking up to £770 in total. She said nine of these charges were posted on the same day.
The marketing manager says she has alerted the DVLA and her council to inform them of the situation. Anna spotted that the vehicle appears to have a taxi light on its roof in the photos on the penalty notices.
She acknowledged there was a chance it was an innocent mistake, as there are two roads with similar names in the area. But she felt there was something 'fishy going on' due to the sudden volume of fines and believes the driver could have deliberately registered his vehicle at her house to avoid paying the fines.
Anna said: "Something fishy seems to be going on when we've suddenly got 11 fines in the post. I think that's what raised my suspicions more than anything.
"We don't know this person, we've lived at this address for 14 years and we don't know the car at all. If it's not a mistake it's a bit scary really because how has he got the address? That's what you wonder.
"That's not very nice, it's a bit worrying especially these days with identity fraud. So I have kept an eye on my bank in case someone's done something fraudulent on that.
"I think it's either innocent, and there is another road [named the similarly to my street] in Warrington, or it could be that he's trying to get away without paying the fines because nobody can trace him.
"Or has he used a local address so that he doesn't get in trouble with the police for not being a local taxi? That was my other thought. It's definitely alarming and the fact that he only bought this car in April just before we started getting these fines."
When she received the notice that a new vehicle had been registered at her address, Anna, of Warrington, rang the DVLA to report it.
She said they told her they would open a case for her and then, on May 8, Anna received the first bus lane penalty notice.
She said she rang Warrington council, who told her to get an acknowledgement form from the DVLA and send it to them so they could pause the charges. While on the phone with the council, Anna says she was told that there were 10 other penalty charges for the car registered at her address.
Two days later she received a huge stack of them through the post. Since then, Anna has received confirmation from the DVLA that her address has been removed from their records.
Anna said: "It was worrying. I was more worried about the bus lane to be honest and the DVLA bit because I thought, you don't want to not be paying your penalty notices.
"You can get all sorts of things against your name can't you if you don't sort things like that? You could get a county court judgement against you. When you're talking about county court judgements and stuff it can affect your credit history and all sorts.
"It is absolutely irritating, I probably spent about three hours in total speaking to people, being on hold, waiting for people. They've all been very helpful to be fair but time out of your working day isn't great."
The DVLA said any motorist who receives fines or correspondence for a vehicle they do not own should contact Action Fraud, the issuing authority of any fines or penalties and also write to DVLA giving as much information as possible.
They said that if the DVLA is made aware of an error on the vehicle record, upon receipt of satisfactory evidence, they will remove the address details from the vehicle record.
They explained it is an offence to knowingly provide false information or documents to the DVLA under the Road Traffic Act 1972. In the event of any fraud being uncovered, the DVLA said they will liaise with the police and other relevant authorities.
Warrington council described it as a 'genuine mistake' and said that all the fines have been cancelled.
A spokesperson said: "Unfortunately, a genuine mistake was made when the taxi driver's vehicle was registered with the DVLA. Ms Brunskill's fines for driving in a bus lane have now been cancelled, and no further action will be taken."
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