A motorist was fined nearly £200 for driving into a bus lane to allow a police van to pass.
Stephen James, 37, was driving along Forest Road in Walthamstow, to the east Londonwhen the patrol vehicle weaved in and out of traffic on Sept. 13 last year to get past him and other cars.
CCTV footage shows the van unable to pass him as a driver in the oncoming vehicle slows down to make a turn.
To give the police van room to overtake, Stephen pulled into the bus lane. He was shocked when he was later fined by the council charging him £195.
Stephen missed the first letter sent to him, so he only found out about the fine when he got another one.
He said: ‘When I got the second one I looked at the evidence and thought it was nonsense that I didn’t see the first one, but that I would have to appeal this when I look at the evidence.’
Speaking of the moment he pulled into the bus lane, he said, “See [the police van] come and you know you have to do something to help in that situation.
“They wouldn’t be able to get by quickly, so action was needed.”
He added, “I tried to do the right thing, and I was punished for it.”
Stephen said he was surprised his appeal was rejected, as he had read about a similar case where the council insisted drivers would not be fined for avoiding an emergency vehicle’s flashing lights or using its siren.
But a Waltham Forest Council spokesperson said: ‘The rules in London are very clear about entering bus lanes, and it is the responsibility of drivers to know and follow them.
“We see the driver pull into the bus lane to allow the emergency vehicle to pass, before continuing on the bus lane, despite having the option to re-enter the lane.”
The municipality explained that motorists will not be fined if they pull aside for an emergency vehicle that responds to a call and displays hazard lights and sirens.
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