Council to refund £2.5m bus lane fines

‘We are minded to seek a judicial review, however this could take years at considerable expense’

A COUNCIL will repay up to £2.5million in fines after the UK’S most lucrative bus lane was ruled to have “misleading and wrong” road signs.

After a four-year saga, Newcastle City Council is set to issue refunds to drivers caught by the John Dobson Street bus lane camera.

In 2016 nearly £6,000 a day was generated from penalty charges on the street, resulting in the camera being named the most lucrative in the country.

In total, nearly 92,000 drivers were fined for driving in the bus lane between February 2016 and June 2017, when charges were suspended following complaints from drivers.

Last month, an independent adjudicator accused the council of being “fundamentally negligent” over how the new bus lane was signposted.

The Traffic Penalty Tribunal’s chief adjudicator upheld a verdict that “misleading” signage warning drivers of the northbound bus lane was inadequate.

The council is furious at the decision, accusing the Traffic Penalty Tribunal of making legal errors in its decision despite the length of time it has taken to release a ruling.

But the local authority has decided not to request a judicial review and will refund fined drivers in order to draw a line under the debacle. The council is giving up to £2.5million back to motorists after it said that more than 73,000 tickets – worth £30, £60 or £90 – are eligible for a refund.

Cllr Arlene Ainsley, cabinet member for transport and air quality, said: “After waiting three long years for the chief adjudicator to review her findings, I am bitterly disappointed that the Traffic Penalty Tribunal has failed to provide any real substance or meaningful learnings in their report.

“Our legal team have scrutinised it closely, and there are so many gaping holes in this report that we are minded to seek a judicial review and challenge it in court.

“However, as this could take years and at considerable expense to the public purse, I believe it is not in the public interest to take this course of action.”

Despite the controversy the council says the camera will return.

The council anticipates the signage will be redesigned and the camera switched back on in early 2021.