More than 60 motorists have been fined for driving in a bus lane to avoid a city centre road blocked by a crash. A controversial council “spy cars” spotted the vehicles as police attended the scene of the rush-hour collision.
- A total of 66 drivers were caught by the enforcement vehicle’s camera within 60 minutes.
- A total of 43 have already stumped up £60 or £30 if paid within 14 days.
Refusal To Refund Penalties
Stoke-on-Trent City Council is refusing to refund the penalties because “alternative routes were available” despite drivers claiming surrounding streets were gridlocked.
But others are going through the appeals process and are calling for the fines to be cancelled, the Stoke Sentinel reports.
The drivers used the lane in Lower Bethesda Street close to Hanley Fire Station as police were at the scene in nearby Regent Road.
Mandy Jones was among the drivers who were shocked when a penalty charge notice dropped through her letterbox.
The 47-year-old, of Bucknall, said: “Traffic was really busy on that evening and I went down Regent Road to avoid it. The road was blocked off because there had been a crash.
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