Dear Sir/Madam



I recently received a Penalty charge notice through the post for an alleged contravention of being in a bus lane during the hours of operation, which was quite a surprise to me as I hadn’t been aware I had done anything wrong. The Penalty charge notice reference is: GT21675498.



This email serves as my initial informal representations to which I am entitled within the 14 day period beginning the date of the Penalty charge notice.



I disagree with the Penalty because I do not think it has been issued fairly due to a lack of consideration for the circumstances under which the alleged contravention took place and therefore request that the Penalty be rescinded following such consideration.



The alleged contravention took place on a Sunday afternoon at around 2pm. At the time I was driving to Portsmouth from Wapping along the A3. The proximity of the road where the alleged contravention took place to the A3 is such that I can only conclude that it was at this junction I took a wrong turn and entered Camberwell New Road. I have since studied this junction using satellite imagery obtained from the popular Google Maps website and do indeed recognise that it was at this junction I was forced onto Camberwell New Road due to the layout of the lanes at that junction. Upon turning around and driving to the junction with the intention of turning left back on to the A3 I can conclude, from the photographic evidence provided on the reverse of the Penalty charge notice, I must have driven in a bus lane.



A few facts to be considered:



· This was my first time driving in London, acknowledged by many people to be a more difficult place to drive than most other places in the UK and a far cry from the roads I am used to driving on in Oxfordshire and surrounding counties.

· I was becoming lost having taken a wrong turn and was anxious to get back on the correct route.

· The total distance from where I turned around to the junction with the A3 is about 150 yards (estimated using satellite imagery).

· The Camberwell New Road was not particularly busy at 2pm on the Sunday in question and this is confirmed in the photographic evidence.

· By driving in the bus lane I held up no busses nor did I make any significant progress over other drivers.

· I wasn’t in a hurry to get anywhere thus shortening my journey by a matter of seconds had absolutely no advantageous outcome for myself.

· I was only in London as I had found a cheap hotel (£1 for a night), a last minute and thus reduced theatre ticket and a voucher subsidised meal. The total cost to me for the weekend was about £50.

· There are a lot of traffic enforcement cameras, vehicles and foot based staff to catch motorists who contravene the rules and this is well known and much publicised, as are the associated fines.

· On the A3 there are a lot of bus lanes, each with an accompanying sign which states that the hours of operation are Monday to Saturday, 7am to 7pm.



With these facts in mind it is reasonable for anyone (at least being of sound mind and judgment) to conclude that I simple made a mistake by not realising the bus lane was in operation on a Sunday. I have been told that the hours of operation are sign posted, but I don’t recall seeing a sign for that particular bus lane. I do, however, recall seeing many previous signs stating Monday to Saturday only. If such a sign does exist it can be assumed I did not see it or acknowledge the minor difference between the word ‘Sat’ and the word ‘Sun’ due to my being in unfamiliar surroundings and fact of being lost. Additionally, the lack of any benefit to myself from driving in the bus lane, compounded by the knowledge that anyone contravening the law would almost certainly be caught and that the inevitable fine would at least double the cost of my otherwise cheap weekend is further indication that this was a genuine mistake.



The system of issuing fines came into existence to punish people who blatantly flaunt the law with little to no regards for it. They were not intended to punish the confused, lost or stupid people who make genuine small mistakes with insignificant results.



Yours faithfully