bus lane

[Johnmazda]

Had my new car just a few days and I'm a new driver so only had my license just over a month now, so I am enjoying the freedom and driving itself. I went on a fairly long drive this morning and through a few areas I was not familiar with and unfortunately I'm pretty sure I may have driven through a bus lane, at least some part of it.

I really can't remember that well for how long and when exactly but I'm so annoyed. I realise this can be a common mistake, let alone for a new driver and at worst it's a hefty fine and nothing more but wanted to ask whether there was an exemption for first time offences? Reason I mention this was because this exact new policy was mentioned 2/3 years ago - https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/12648877/ ... aw-change/

And then the DfT released this in 2022 which I'm assuming still applies - https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... travention

Under "Warning Notices" it states the following - To promote compliance by helping motorists understand the seriousness of moving traffic contraventions, for a period of 6 months following implementation of enforcement of moving traffic contraventions, at each particular camera location, local authorities outside London should issue warning notices for first-time moving traffic contraventions. This also applies to any new camera location in the future.

The warning notice should set out the 6 month period and advise that any further moving traffic contravention at the same camera location would result in the issue of a PCN. It is therefore strongly recommended that accurate records of enforcement commencement dates are maintained.

Warning notices should be issued in respect of new restrictions, for example at new junctions and new (or major changes to) road layouts, or existing restrictions, such as a long-established box junction, being civilly enforced by camera for the first time.

Although outside the scope of this statutory guidance, within London where moving traffic contraventions have been enforced for many years, local authorities are expected to issue warning notices for first time contraventions of the new cycle lane, cycle route and ‘buses prohibited’ contraventions (civilly enforceable in London for the first time) when they occur within 6 months from when enforcement commences in practice.

Anyone care to shed light on this? I guess I will have to wait around two weeks to find out either way.

[edd1974]

There's no first time offence thing.
I did similar Essex way Romford I think.
Either way bus lane was only maybe hundred yards long I drove into it not realising

To be honest was to busy looking at unit names and numbers didnt expect to see a bus lane near an industrial estate.
End day just one of them things.
Links you post basically mean the following to keep it simple.

If a council decides to install a new camera or. Change a speed limit put in a cycle lane etc
They can't issue tickets until the new camera /limit has been active for 6 months . It gives drivers time to get use to the new changes .
Once 6 months have passed they can then start to issues tickets from that day onwards they can't backdate it to when the camera was installed.
If you get caught by a new camera/ speed limit them can send you a letter saying be aware
but they can't fine you unless the offense happened 6 months after the day the camera was 1st installed
Hope that makes sense.

[drover]

They don't all have cameras controlling them so which road was it on?

[Johnmazda]

There's no first time offence thing.
I did similar Essex way Romford I think.
Either way bus lane was only maybe hundred yards long I drove into it not realising

To be honest was to busy looking at unit names and numbers didnt expect to see a bus lane near an industrial estate.
End day just one of them things.
Links you post basically mean the following to keep it simple.

If a council decides to install a new camera or. Change a speed limit put in a cycle lane etc
They can't issue tickets until the new camera /limit has been active for 6 months . It gives drivers time to get use to the new changes .
Once 6 months have passed they can then start to issues tickets from that day onwards they can't backdate it to when the camera was installed.
If you get caught by a new camera/ speed limit them can send you a letter saying be aware
but they can't fine you unless the offense happened 6 months after the day the camera was 1st installed
Hope that makes sense.

Thanks for the reply. Yes that makes sense now what you've said. I was a little confused because the first article makes it seem that first time offenders would only get a warning which is backed up by that DfT article or so I thought.

Anyway, I'm annoyed, only been driving since Tues! I guess inevitable that this ends up happening for a new driver. At least it's no points or anything like that.

[Johnmazda]

They don't all have cameras controlling them so which road was it on?

Let me see if I can upload an image.

It was Kirkland Road near Beckenham Junction station.

[img]

[Johnmazda]

They don't all have cameras controlling them so which road was it on?

Let me see if I can upload an image.

It was Kirkland Road near Beckenham Junction station.

[img]

Now I see this image is old. When I went on here it was raining, the colour was faded and so I don't think I even saw Bus Lane written down on the road like in the picture. I think I was in the right foot most of the time and then stayed switching to the left as I was looking to leave left and that's when I ended up in the bus lane.

[Zac_A]

If you were caught on camera, you'll get an FPN, with the usual deal that paying within 14 days (or similar) reduces the fine. "First time offence" considerations are for court appearances, not minor stuff like driving in a bus lane, unless you felt like challenging it, which probably isn't worth the time and effort.

Normally these things are council-controlled and (as was demonstrated by a notorious example in Newcastle) can be a huge cash-cow.