Council faces paying out up to £150,000 in wrongly-paid fines after battling motorist, 80, wins campaign against £70 bus lane ticket
- Ian Bisset insisted the bus gate in Norfolk did not conform to the Highway Code
- Mr Bisset was driving to visit his son in July when he was caught on the camera
- The Grove Road bus gate restriction in Norwich only applies for two hours a day
- The 80-year-old is awaiting his £70 refund despite winning his appeal in August
A council faces paying out up to £150,000 in wrongly-paid fines after a battling motorist won his campaign against a £70 ticket for going through a city centre ‘bus gate’.
Retired chartered surveyor Ian Bisset, 80, insisted the Grove Road bus gate in Norwich, Norfolk, did not conform to the Highway Code because of poor signage.
Norwich City Council did not defend his appeal raising the prospect of thousands of other drivers being refunded.
The bus gate restriction in central Norwich only applies for two hours per day but generated £150,000 in fines in just eight months.
Mr Bisset, from Ipswich, Suffolk, said: ‘My questions were legitimate criticisms so the only conclusion you can come to is that they don’t have any answers to them.
‘It looks a bit embarrassing for them to be honest.
Retired chartered surveyor Ian Bisset, 80, insisted the Grove Road bus gate (pictured) in Norwich, Norfolk, did not conform to the Highway Code because of poor signage
Norwich City Council did not defend his appeal raising the prospect of thousands of other drivers being refunded
‘It looks like they know the system is wrong but aren’t prepared to do anything about it, just carry on handing out fines and hope people don’t challenge them.
‘I think everyone who’s had a fine there should challenge it.’
Mr Bisset was driving to visit his son when he got caught on the bus gate camera on July 14 this year.
He had never seen the ‘vague and poorly situated’ bus gate sign despite having driven through the Grove Road junction multiple times before.
The sign is only lit for the two hours it operates for.
He said: ‘The road is effectively closed to cars at that time of day, but by the time you see the sign it’s passed the point you can do anything about it.’
The bus gate restriction in central Norwich only applies for two hours per day but generated £150,000 in fines in just eight months
He is still awaiting his £70 refund despite winning his appeal in August.
More than half of those who have challenged their bus gate fines have won their appeals according to local news.
A Norfolk County Council spokesman said: ‘Norfolk County Council, who are the highway authority, works closely with Norwich City Council, who enforce the Brazengate bus gate.
‘Norwich City Council have successfully defended tribunal hearings at this location in the past.
‘The signage is installed following national guidelines and legislation, but both councils will be reviewing the outcome of the latest appeal to determine if any further action is required.’