UPDATE: Portsmouth City Council takes £123,000 in fines from '˜poorly signposted' bus lane camera near QA Hospital

A DRIVER has spoken of his outrage after being fined for driving in a bus lane outside Queen Alexandra Hospital when taking his terminally ill wife to her appointment.
A GV of Queen Alexandra HosptialA GV of Queen Alexandra Hosptial
A GV of Queen Alexandra Hosptial

The BBC reported today that Portsmouth City Council have has generated 2,062 penalty tickets at £60 each since an enforcement camera was placed in Cavell Drive on July 22.

Figures from a Freedom Of Information Act request made by the BBC show that in the 11 week period until October 6, the camera brought in revenue of £123,000. Fines are reduced to £30 if they are paid on time.

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People who have been caught have complained that the bus lane is difficult to distinguish when approaching it from the left or right.

The BBC reported that hospital signs make it difficult to make out the bus lane signs.

Andrew Peryer accidently drove into the bus lane when taking his late wife Wendy to QA.

He received that fine after she had sadly passed away and he said it ‘rubbed salt into the wound.’

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Speaking to the BBC, he added: ‘It just seems rather underhand. Surely, if you have something that’s generating such a high volume of tickets you would look to see a reason why.

‘It appears to be a high cash-generation spot and it seems to be preying on people who would be under stress or they’ve gone to visit someone or are having treatment - that seems totally unfair.’

Councillor Jim Fleming, cabinet member for traffic and transport at Portsmouth City Council, has said 19 appeals have been successful and compassionate reasons are considered.

He added: ‘Anyone who gets a penalty charge notice (PCN) is entitled to appeal and each case that is appealed is considered on its own merits. ‘While we cannot comment on individual cases, compassionate grounds would of course be considered as grounds for appeal.

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‘The Cavell Drive entrance to the hospital has been a bus only entrance for a number of years with other vehicles clearly prohibited.

‘However, there were issues with this route being used as a rat run by non-hospital users and causing congestion on the site and at the hospital entrance for some ambulances and those dropping people off.’