Royal Cars driver stung with 5 fines in one week for using bus lane
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/tees ... 5-14747921
New employee Deborah Thompson received the bus lane penalty charge notices :: Taxi boss has branded the rule a 'trap'
A Royal Cars driver was stung with five fines in one week for driving in a Middlesbrough bus lane.
Deborah Thompson received the penalty as she was driving a private hire vehicle - and not a taxi.
The lane can only be used by taxis, buses and motorbikes.
Deborah, a new employee of the company, was captured driving down the Newport Road bus lane between May 2 and 11, and had to pay around a £150 charge.
But the driver’s fine has sparked frustration from Imran Khan, of Royal Cars, who says the rule is a “trap” for drivers, and believes they should be more specific.
“The sign clearly says buses, taxis and bikes but the driver has received five bus lane penalty charge notices (PCNs) within a week for this,” he said. “She will pay more out than she earned that day.
“Our drivers are here to give a service to the public, not there to pay council penalty fines when the sign clearly states ‘taxis’. The drivers have it tough as it is.
“This sign needs to be more clear to road users, it should state buses, bikes and Hackney Carriages.
“We believe the wording on these particular signs is to trap taxi drivers into using bus lanes, rather than to prevent it.”
He added: “If Hackney Carriage vehicles can use this lane why can’t private hire vehicles?
“A taxi is a taxi, both Hackney Carriage vehicles and private hires provide the same service.”
Camera enforcement was introduced in 2014 to deter drivers from abusing the bus lane and allow it to operate as efficiently as possible.
Legislation requires that all income from bus lane PCNs must be used to fund the operation of the system with any surplus used exclusively for public transport related purposes or for highway improvements in the authority’s area.
A spokesman for Middlesbrough Council said: “Members of the public may not understand the difference between a ‘taxi’ and a ‘private hire’ vehicle but those in the trade absolutely should.
“Private hire vehicles have the same legal status as any other private vehicle and as such are not entitled to drive in bus lanes – licensed drivers and operators should know this.
“Newport Road bus lane is well signed and a previous assessment found that of around 6,000 vehicles using Newport Road each day, 99.7% of motorists were able to use it correctly.
“That said, anyone who feels they have been wrongly fined or feels aggrieved at receiving a penalty charge notice can and should make representations through the appeals process.”
TeessideLive previously reported how both Middlesbrough and Stockton Councils raked in more than £75,000 from motorists who ignored signage and entered bus lanes.
The money was made from just five bus lanes across the two council areas from January to December 2016, data released under Freedom of Information laws showed.
Exactly £62,561.25 was collected by Middlesbrough Council in 2016 through 2,977 fines issued for the rule break.
Stockton Council collected a total of £15,626 across the four bus lanes in its area last year.
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