Parking Fines for bus lane use on Lordship Lane

[DishandtheSpoon]

Hello

I am posting because in the past month I've had 2 parking fines for being in a bus lane on Lordship Lane. When the first ticket arrived I felt sick, and cross with myself, but thought perhaps it was for merging into the left hand lane too soon when approaching the mini roundabout as you pass Dulwich Baths where the bus lane ends just before the mini roundabout. I was surprised it was that as Im normally so careful. Then today, I got the 2nd notice. I am now starting to think that maybe this relates to parking on lordship lane instead. This is where I thought I'd ask for Forum users help.

I sometimes park outside the cash machines by Somerfield, and go into Somerfield there too. Or I've parked outside Green and Blue a few times, or in the bays outside the East Dulwich Deli. Does anyone know if its likely to relate to these parking areas?

Im going to call the number in the morning and ask to view the footage, which apparently you can do, but I just want someone to tell me what I am doing wrong as aside from never parking again on Lordship Lane I cant see another way to avoid it. So nice just before Christmas too.

Many thanks

Shona

[Fuschia]

You can't park there at certain times of day - morning and evening

[DishandtheSpoon]

Fuschia Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> You can't park there at certain times of day -

> morning and evening

Where exactly though, do you know? Of the three places I mentioned? Thanks for the reply Fuschia.

[Pickle]

I got caught out recently, parked in a bay near the camera shop without realising the restrictions were still in force. Pretty sure on the Somerfield side of the road you can't park there before 10am, and after 4pm on the other side in the marked bays.

[Fuschia]

It used to

Be no

Parking on the Somerfield side before 10 or between 4/7

Not sure about the other side

There are signs on the

Lamp posts

There are restrictions at all 3 places, afaik

[ruffers]

When I had a bus lane contravention there was a picture of me driving as part of the ticket, ans iirc it came from TFL. Sounds like yours may be parking, what does it actually say on the ticket?

[DishandtheSpoon]

Hi All

@Ruffers - The Penalty Charge Notice, is from Southwark Council, and says the reason for the ticket(s) is 34J: Being in a bus lane.

This has been extreemly confusing. I just wish they would expand on that more, because had I known what I'd done exactly after the first fine, I wouldnt have done it again. Im going to call tommorow to get the exact meaning of the notice, because if its the parking before 10am thing then Im pretty sure there is a 3rd notice on the way, having done the same thing last Friday to shop in Somerfield.

@Pickle - Where is the Camera shop out of interest?

@Fuschia - Thank you, I do always read the lamposts when parking, but sometimes find when there are 3 sets of restrictions on the notice, for example, No return within 30 minutes, No loading within X, Y,Z, etc, the notice isnt immediately understandable. But accept that I am in the wrong of course.

[edcam]

Perhaps you should try reading signs before you park. It isn't terribly complicated and a fundamental of the highway code.

[DishandtheSpoon]

edcam Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Perhaps you should try reading signs before you

> park. It isn't terribly complicated and a

> fundamental of the highway code.

Thank you. I do read the signs. As pointed out above, they arent always that clear and easy to understand. Im just trying to find out where exactly I have parked in error, so I dont end up doing it again. I was wondering if any other drivers had recently had the same thing so I could find out.

[karter]

There are no fixed cameras that i am aware of. The little car with telescopic camera moves around. He snaps people stopping even for a second outside Barclays on the double yellow (joining up the bus lane) where the parking plate shows ' no stopping at any time'. That spot must be a real money maker.

[DishandtheSpoon]

@Karter - Thank goodness I can honestly say I havent parked there!

[Pickle]

The photo/camera shop is on the stretch of LL opposite Farmers, Callow Locksmiths etc. I've since noticed that while all the other bays around there are clearly marked, the one I parked in didn't have a sign stating the hours of operation - but I don't have the energy to dispute it! To be honest the day I parked there I'd lost track of time a bit, so even if I had seen the signs I would have thought I was ok as was convinced it was after 10am.

I got snapped by one of the Smart cars, and the ticket came with a little photo on it showing the contravention.

Lesson learned!

[civilservant]

edcam's post reminds me of when we parked round the back of the Old Vic on a Sunday afternoon after carefully reading the sign to see if we could. In spite of all our care, the car go towed and we spent Sunday eve traipsing to the back end of East London to retrieve it from a car pound.

Being the nerdy thing I am, I went back to check the sign and it's true - the info it gives is ambiguous. Either it was written by someone who eats, shoots and leaves, or by someone whose aim is to maximise council revenue at any price.

[Fuschia]

Most parking signs make me nervous in

Case I misunderstand

They are far from

Clear quite often!

[blackadder]

DishandtheSpoon Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hi All

>

> @Ruffers - The Penalty Charge Notice, is from

> Southwark Council, and says the reason for the

> ticket(s) is 34J: Being in a bus lane.

> This has been extreemly confusing. I just wish

> they would expand on that more, because had I

> known what I'd done exactly after the first fine,

> I wouldnt have done it again. Im going to call

> tommorow to get the exact meaning of the notice,

> because if its the parking before 10am thing then

> Im pretty sure there is a 3rd notice on the way,

> having done the same thing last Friday to shop in

> Somerfield.

>

> @Pickle - Where is the Camera shop out of

> interest?

>

> @Fuschia - Thank you, I do always read the

> lamposts when parking, but sometimes find when

> there are 3 sets of restrictions on the notice,

> for example, No return within 30 minutes, No

> loading within X, Y,Z, etc, the notice isnt

> immediately understandable. But accept that I am

> in the wrong of course.

It sounds like you have been issued a PCN for a moving traffic offence.

You should be able to view the alledged contravention here

[DishandtheSpoon]

Thank you Blackadder, that was extreemly helpful. I was able to see that it was for parking outside Somerfield before 10am. I can bet my bottom dollar the other ticket was for the same thing, although you cannot go back and view tickets you've paid so cant check that now.

[DishandtheSpoon]

@civilservant - How utterly annoying for you! Did you get anywhere with challenging the signage?

@Fuschia & Pickle - Thank you both too.

[puzzled]

the bus lane on the northbound section from somerfield onwards is operational between 7-10am. outside these hours you park for 30mins before risking a ticket

[civilservant]

Fuschia, :))!

DishandtheSpoon, we didn't bother to challenge. We thought about it, but through bitter experience know that Council Bureaucracy will squeeze you through the mill before admitting defeat.

P.S. Does anyone remember the car-pound at Vauxhall in the days before they built the ugly luxury-flat towers over it?

[Earl Aelfheah]

I was ticketed in the same spot after checking the restrictions carefully. Took a photo of it and considered appealing but that means paying double the charge first, so we didn't in the end.

civilservant Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> edcam's post reminds me of when we parked round

> the back of the Old Vic on a Sunday afternoon

> after carefully reading the sign to see if we

> could. In spite of all our care, the car go towed

> and we spent Sunday eve traipsing to the back end

> of East London to retrieve it from a car pound.

>

> Being the nerdy thing I am, I went back to check

> the sign and it's true - the info it gives is

> ambiguous. Either it was written by someone who

> eats, shoots and leaves, or by someone whose aim

> is to maximise council revenue at any price.

[intexasatthe moment]

It is worth appealing - I've done so 3 times

Lewisham - parking ticket fallen from window on to floor and therefore not on display

Southwark - parking ticket displayed on road side of car rather than kerbside

Southwark - fined when I was almost 100% sure I'd extended my telephone paid parking fee to cover the period in question but had deleted the texts by then

and been sucessful ,no bureacracy ,no paying any fine first .

[DishandtheSpoon]

@intexasatthe moment - Can I just ask, how did you manage to prove the above facts? Did you just literally say, oh the ticket had fallen off the dashboard and they believed you? I am not doubting your honesty by the way, just saying that it makes it sound so simple to challenge a ticket.

In my own case it comes down to not understanding the sign, and I now know I cant park there before 10am. Im just praying ticket no 3 is not on its way. However the shiny upside is there shouldnt be a 4th:)

@puzzled, Civilservant & Rahrahrah - Thank you for all the replies.

[intexasatthe moment]

Dishandthespoon - I was a bit surprised myself ,especially since at the other extreme I have had a car towed away when perfectly legally parked and it took months ,me submitting photographs ,and finally the involvement of the police to get my money back .( and no apology for the wedding I missed because my car was gone or the damage caused to car when it was towed )

with the fallen of the windscreen ticket I sent them a photocopy of it ,so they knew I'd paid for parking at the time they were fining me for( legitimately I think as the regs say something about ticket being correctly displayed )

[Salsaboy]

2 of the little shitbag cars with cameras on LL this morning. Kerching!

[eastdulwichhenry]

You could always just walk down Lordship Lane instead... (now flame away!)