Drivers in London win over half of appeals against bus lane fines, analysis shows

Drivers in London who appeal against bus lane fines win more than half of them, according to a new report.

The AA analysed statistics from London Councils, which represents the capital’s 32 borough councils and the City of London, and they showed 56% of appeals made by motorists against bus lane fines in the city were either upheld or not contested in the 2023/24 financial year.

For moving traffic offences such as stopping in a yellow box when not allowed, the figure was 35%.

Combined, the successful appeals represent nearly 7,300 cases.

The AA raised concerns about why drivers were forced to spend time and money going through the appeals process, when the fines could have been cancelled after they first contacted councils to complain.

It also found that, in the three weeks to January 4, six councils were unable to supply London Tribunals’ traffic adjudicators with paperwork to validate the fines they had issued.

They were the boroughs of Lambeth, Croydon, Harrow, Redbridge and Greenwich, and the City of London.

Adjudicators cancelled these fines, but the AA believes they are “the tip of the iceberg”.

For each successful appeal, “perhaps hundreds more” drivers who receive invalid fines pay up within 14 days to secure the 50% discount for early payment, the AA said.

Fines for bus lane infringements and moving traffic offences should only be issued when Traffic Management Orders are valid.

Adjudicators have ruled in drivers’ favour because councils failed to provide current certification for enforcement cameras.

Thousands of drivers each year are paying traffic fines which should not have been issued, according to the new analysis.

The AA said recent rulings by London Tribunals’ traffic adjudicators show at least six councils in the capital have engaged in the “outrageous” practice of handing out £130 fines based on restrictions and enforcement cameras which lack up-to-date paperwork.

Luke Bosdet, from the AA’s motoring policy unit, said: “Dishing out fines for any restriction that has expired is outrageous.

“While a handful of drivers have fought back against fines that shouldn’t have been issued in the first place, thousands of drivers each year will have paid the half-rate within 14 days.”

It emerged in October that Southwark Council did not have a valid TMO for its most lucrative bus lane.

Weekly newspaper Southwark News reported that drivers received 4,478 fines worth a total of more than half a million pounds for entering the bus lane in Lower Road, Rotherhithe, over the previous year.

A DfT spokesman said: “Local authorities are responsible for local traffic measures and they should make sure penalties for the use of bus lanes are fair and proportionate.”

A London Councils spokesperson said: “London Councils encourages any motorist who does not believe that the PCN (penalty charge notice) should have been issued to make representations to the local authority, and then appeal any rejected decision with London Tribunals.”