Bus lane breaches on internet

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check the evidence on line.....

Motorists who feel they have been unfairly penalised for illegally driving in a bus lane can now check the evidence for themselves on the internet. 

People who are caught contravening bus lane laws are now able to view photographs of the offence on the council’s website. The service gives them the chance to double check that it is their vehicle that’s been caught on camera and in some cases they will even be able to see who was behind the wheel. 

The new service is designed to clear up confusion about who committed the offence, when it happened and where it occurred. Many drivers say they never drive in bus lanes while others simply cannot remember when they might have done so. In many households the car is also driven by more than one person.

This confusion is exacerbated because the offence is captured on CCTV and the penalty notice for the offence is sent through the post to the registered owner of the vehicle a few days later. 

From now on anyone who receives a ticket for breaking bus lane regulations will be given a unique PIN number so that they can log on to the council’s website and look at the images caught on camera. Three images will normally be displayed which can all be enlarged. One will show a close-up of the vehicle’s registration plate. People will still be able to come into the town hall and watch the entire CCTV footage of the infringement if they wish to do so. 

Executive member for planning and transportation Cllr Guy Senior said “No-one likes getting a fine through the post, but at least if they can see all the evidence showing the offence being committed, then at least they’ll know it’s a fair cop.” 

The service will soon be extended to cover all other moving traffic offences that are captured on CCTV. These will include cases where drivers have made illegal turns, U-turns and ignored no-entry signs.

 

December 5, 2006