What is bus lane
enforcement?
One of the key aims of Bath & North East Somerset Council is
to ensure the free flow of traffic throughout the City. One of the
ways to achieve this aim is through bus lane enforcement. Bath
& North East Somerset Council has been undertaking bus lane
enforcement across the city, in areas where there is a traffic
congestion issue or problem with bus lane abuse. This means that if
a vehicle is captured by CCTV using a bus lane a Penalty Charge
Notice (PCN) may be issued.
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Why introduce bus lane
enforcement?
Bath & North East Somerset Council is one of the first
authorities outside of London to enforce bus lanes. There are a
number of potential benefits to be gained by ensuring effective bus
lane enforcement:
- Bus lane enforcement has been operating successfully in London
for a number of years. Studies have shown that the number of
prohibited vehicles using bus lanes has reduced significantly as a
result of enforcement, which has resulted in improved bus
reliability, increased road safety and more use of bus lanes by
pedal cyclists
- Effective and efficient bus lane enforcement will allow the
Council and its partners to achieve easier and more consistent
journey times for buses through congested areas by allowing the
free flow of bus lane traffic.
- By improving the public transport network we will encourage
commuters to choose more environmentally friendly forms of travel
and thereby reduce CO2 emissions.
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How will I know what a Bus Lane looks
like?
Bus lanes are easily identifiable to a driver; signage is
clearly displayed immediately prior to the start of the bus lanes
showing the restriction. In the case of the restriction on the High
Street and New Bond Street these are conventional bus lanes within
the width of the road and the signs used are the nationally
recognised bus lane signs and road surface markings.
The restrictions in Northgate Street, Argyle Street and Pulteney
Bridge apply to the whole width of the road. In these cases
the nationally used and recognised prohibition of vehicle signs are
used together with qualifying plates showing which vehicles are
exempt. The road surface is highlighted in a different
colour but does not bear the bus lane legend.
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How will bus lane enforcement
take place?
Closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras are used to record
vehicles driving or parking in bus lanes. Cameras are mounted on
poles on the street.
These cameras record vehicles using the bus lanes during
restricted hours, and take a close up image of the vehicle
including the registration mark. The camera also tracks the vehicle
driving, parking or stopping in the bus lane to provide evidence
that a contravention of the restrictions has taken place.
The recordings will be checked by a second enforcement officer,
to ensure that an offence has occurred and that there are no
mitigating circumstances, which may have led to the vehicle being
in the bus lane.
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How can I view the images of my
vehicle?
The registered owner of the vehicle can request to see the
footage held of their vehicle in the bus lane (there is an option
on the reverse of the PCN to request footage). You can ask
for a DVD recording of the footage to be sent to you or you can
arrange an appointment to view the footage any Council office
during normal office hours Monday - Friday. Appointments can
be arranged by calling 01225 395249.
The registered keeper of the vehicle will need to provide ID
when attending the appointment. If ID cannot be produced at the
time of the appointment alternative arrangements for viewing will
be made.
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Appealing against a Bus Lane Penalty
Charge Notice
As with parking offences where a PCN (ticket) is issued, the
responsibility lies with the registered owner of the vehicle to pay
or appeal for contraventions relating to bus lanes.
If you want to query the ticket, you should not pay the charge.
Representations can be made by completing the reverse of the Bus
Lane Penalty Charge Notice and posting it to the address given.
All representations made will be looked at on an individual
basis and where a representation is accepted the ticket will be
cancelled. The grounds for appeal are as follows:
- The alleged contravention did not occur
- Regulation 6(1) of the Bus lane contraventions (Penalty
charges, adjudication and enforcement) (England) regulations
applies. This is where a motorist may have received a Fixed Penalty
Notice from the Police for the same contravention. You will be
required to provide evidence
- You were not the owner/keeper of the vehicle on the detection
date
- You were the hirer of the vehicle concerned but I did not sign
an agreement accepting responsibility for Penalty Charge
Notices
- You are the registered owner/keeper of the vehicle,
however
- You are a hire firm and have provided the hirer's details
- The vehicle was under the control of a vehicle trader who has
signed an agreement accepting responsibility for any penalty charge
notices issued whilst the vehicle is in there control
- The vehicle was taken without my consent
- The Penalty charge exceeds the relevant amount
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If your appeal is rejected by Bath
& North East Somerset Council
We will explain why with details on how to appeal to the Traffic
Penalty Tribunal (TPT) an independent organisation. TPT will
not charge you to appeal. Their decision is final and binding on
both sides. For more details on their service go to www.trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk
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If you lose your appeal or do not pay the
Penalty Charge Notice
28 days after we have sent you the Penalty Charge Notice, we
will send you a charge certificate asking you to pay an extra 50%
in addition to the original amount. You have no further right to
appeal at this stage. If you do not then pay, we will register the
charge as a debt at the County Court. The debt will then be placed
with Certificated Bailiffs who will take responsibility for
collecting the debt owed to the Council. This will add further
costs to the charge.
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How to pay a Bus Lane Penalty Charge
Notice (PCN)
The amount for a Bus Lane PCN will be £60, but if payment
is made within fourteen days of the date of service (refer to PCN
for specific date) the charge will be reduced by 50% to £30. If the
PCN is not paid within 28 days of the date of service the charge
will increase to £90.
If you are paying by cheque or postal order, please make it
payable to Bath & North East Somerset Council. Please
write the PCN number, vehicle registration number and your address
on the back of your cheque.
The PCN number beginning with 'BN…' is near the top of the
ticket. For a receipt, please send a stamped, self-addressed
envelope with your payment.
Post
To pay by cheque or postal order, please make payable to Bath
& North East Somerset Council and send to Parking
Services P.O. Box 122, Bristol, BS31 9AE
Phone
You can pay your PCN over the phone during office hours
(Monday-Friday) using your credit or debit card on 01225 477133 or
01225 477134.
Alternately please use the 24 hours payment line by calling
08451204330 - our lines open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You
will need to have your credit or debit card and your PCN reference
number to hand.
Calls will be charged at local rate.
In person
You can also pay in person by cash, credit or debit card, cheque
or postal order at the payments counter in The Guildhall Parking
Shop which is open 08.30 - 17.00 p.m. Monday, Tues and
Thurs. Friday, 08.30 - 16.30 p.m. and
Wednesday 09.30-17.00pm with exception of public or bank
holidays. Or at any Bath & North East Somerset Payment office
during normal office hours Monday- Friday.
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