Driver challenges city bus lane fine

A driver caught on camera in Preston's controversial Fishergate bus lane is challenging his £60 penalty in what he hopes will be a landmark case.
Fishergate's bus lane signsFishergate's bus lane signs
Fishergate's bus lane signs

Stephen Helm, 45, claims the signposting for the new restrictions was at best inadequate and at worst grossly unfair - something County Hall strongly denies.

And he has now taken his case to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, which has the power to order LCC to tear up the ticket - something Stephen believes could pave the way for thousands of other “victims” to claim a refund.

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“When I was done on November 19 there were no warning signs when I came up Chapel Street and into Fishergate,” he said. “And when I got to Mount Street there was a ‘no entry’ sign at the top, meaning I had no option but to drive down Fishergate and thus get a ticket.

“I got the fixed penalty notice on November 22 and two days later I went into town and took photos to back up my case. I’ve submitted them to the tribunal.

“I’ve never disobeyed a ‘no entry’ sign in my life. So as far as I was concerned I had nowhere else to go but down the bus lane.

“If I’m successful in my appeal then I hope others who were done before November 24 will challenge their tickets too.”

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Daniel Herbert, highway network manager for LCC said: “The no-entry signs were replaced with one-way signs before the changes on Fishergate came into effect. This was done at the same time as the restriction signs and direction signs were put in place. The signs were in place on October 31 and have remained in place since.”

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