Scoutstoun man penalty charges row for driving over bus lane to leave home
A DRIVER has blasted council bosses after he was fined for crossing into a bus lane — while leaving his home.
Scotstoun man James McGinley received the notice from Glasgow City Council (GCC) last week after being caught by a camera on Dumbarton Road at Burnham Road.
But Mr McGinley told the Post of his bewilderment at being penalised because he has to travel in and out of a bus lane every time he uses his car to go anywhere.
The 49-year-old, of Dumbarton Road, said: “I just can’t understand it. It seems like I need a crane to hoist my car over the bus lane every single time I’m leaving or arriving at my home.
“I contacted the council but the advisor simply said I would have to speak to someone who knows about those things so that wasn’t much help.”
Since November last year 2,142 motorists have been penalised after being caught by the camera at Burnham Road.
Mr McGinley, a writer, said: “One of the arguments is that I may have stayed in the lane too long. It’s a very busy road so a lot of the time you have to rely on someone letting you move out of the bus lane.
“If you’re heading to South Street the only safe way to turn left is to access the bus lane. If you don’t you will hold up traffic turning right and going straight on.
“If I am ever wrong about something I would be the first to apologise but this isn’t right so it’s important to speak up.”
Mr McGinley said he does not intend to pay the fine for now and told of his hope that the council would “come to its senses” regarding the matter.
A spokesperson for GCC said: “Drivers crossing a bus lane to access a parking space won’t receive a penalty charge notice.
“However, they will receive one where video evidence shows drivers clearly driving along a bus lane to access a parking space.”
THE bus lane enforcement scheme was introduced in Glasgow in April 2012 and aimed to ease congestion in the lanes, make bus journeys more reliable and improve road safety.
Cameras use Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology. When a vehicle enters the enforcement zone within the bus lane, a camera reads the number
plate and determines whether it is on the approved list of vehicles. Only buses, bicycles, taxis and licensed private hire cars can use the lanes.
The registered keeper of a vehicle which is deemed to have used a bus lane receives a penalty charge notice and a fine of £60 but this is reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days.
Anyone looking to appeal a charge must do so in writing. More information on Glasgow City Council’s bus lane enforcement policy is available by logging on to: www.glasgow.gov.uk
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