Bus Lane Fine Bristol – Should You Pay or Appeal?
Did you get a Bristol bus lane fine and not sure if you should pay or make an appeal?
This is the right place for you. Every month, over 130,000 people come to our website for advice about their bus lane fines and parking tickets.
In this piece, we will give you easy-to-understand information on:
- What a bus lane fine in Bristol is.
- If you really need to pay the Bristol bus lane fine.
- How to appeal a Bristol bus lane fine.
- Ways to avoid getting a bus lane fine.
- What can happen if you don’t pay the fine.
Churchill Motor Insurance reports that in 2022, UK councils issued an average of 19,631 daily parking fines, a 12% increase from the previous year.1 So you’re not alone!
Don’t worry; we have lots of helpful tips and examples to guide you through the process.
Let’s get started and discuss your options.
Most Appeals Succeed
In some circumstances, you might have a legitimate reason not to pay your bus lane fine.
It’s a bit sneaky, but the last time I needed legal advice, I paid £5 for a trial to chat with an online solicitor called JustAnswer.
Not only did I save £50 on solicitor feeds, I also won my case and didn’t have to pay my £271 fine.
Chat below to get started with JustAnswer
*Around 35,000 people dispute their tickets each year with the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, and a striking 64% of those appeals are successful, so it’s well worth a try.
How much is a Bristol bus lane fine?
A Bristol bus lane fine increased from £60 to £70 in May 2022.
You’ll now be asked to pay £70 if you use one of Bristol’s bus lanes, but the fine is reduced to £35 if you pay within 14 days.
Who has to pay a Bristol bus lane fine?
All Penalty Charge Notices must be paid by the registered keeper as shown by DVLA records.
The only time this isn’t the case is when the vehicle changed ownership and DVLA records don’t show the correct owner, although this may need to be proven to be the case.
It means that someone who borrows a car from someone else won’t be liable to pay a bus lane fine even when they committed a bus lane contravention.
Successful Appeal Case Study
Situation
| Initial Fine | £100 |
| Additional Fees | £171 |
| Total Fine | £271 |
The Appeal Process
Scott used JustAnswer, online legal service to enhance his appeal. The trial of this cost him just £5.
| Total Fine | £271 |
| Cost of legal advice | £5 |
JustAnswer helped Scott craft the best appeal possible and he was able to win his case.
Scott’s fine was cancelled and he only paid £5 for the legal help.
In partnership with Just Answer.
Can you appeal a bus lane fine Bristol?
You do have the right to appeal a bus lane fine from Bristol Council if you submit the challenge by the deadline given.
» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer
Whether or not a bus lane fine should be issued or not is fairly black or white because:
- The incident is recorded on cameras
- The driver only needs to enter the bus lane briefly once to be fined
- It doesn’t matter if you made a mistake and never used the bus lane on purpose
Nevertheless, reasons can be given to get out of the bus lane, and if proven to be true, the Penalty Charge Notice could be cancelled.
How do I appeal a bus lane fine in Bristol?
You can appeal a Bristol bus lane fine within the deadline by using the council’s website.
You can also write your appeal to:
Parking Services (PCN Appeals)
PO Box 3399
Bristol City Council
Bristol
BS1 9NE
Appeal Process Steps
To help you better understand the appeal process, I’ve put together this table.
If you want to learn more about your penalty charge notice, be sure to check out our detailed guide.
| Process: | Steps you should take: |
|---|---|
| When you receive the ticket… | You should gather as much evidence as you can to support your appeal claim and prove that the ticket was unfairly issued. |
| If you were given the ticket in person/attached to your car… | You must make an informal appeal (sent to the local authority/council that issued the PCN) within 14 days. This should be a letter with the evidence proving why the ticket was incorrectly given. |
| If it was posted to you… | You will be given 21 days to submit an informal appeal (from the day you received the letter). Your informal appeal should be a letter with the evidence proving why the ticket was incorrectly given. |
| If the informal appeal is rejected… | You will receive a Notice to Owner and will have 28 days to respond to this with a formal appeal. You can conduct the formal appeal online or via paper form. The Traffic Penalty Tribunal can send you one of these forms. |
| If the formal appeal is rejected… | You will receive a Notice of Rejection. From here, you are free to challenge the council’s verdict at an independent tribunal. |
| If the independent tribunal disagrees with your appeal… | You should pay the ticket within 28 days of the tribunal rejecting your appeal. If you don’t, the fine will be increased by 50%. If you don’t have the money to pay the fine, you should contact Citizens Advice or another debt charity. |
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Good excuses for a Bristol bus lane fine
As mentioned, making a successful bus lane fine Bristol appeal can be challenging – but not out of the question.
Below are some appeal excuses that have worked for motorists in the past.
But they will only work if true and can be evidenced by CCTV footage or by supplying your own evidence, such as photos or dash cam footage.
- Your car was stolen and you have a police record to prove it
- The signs telling you when the bus lane is operating were damaged, removed or hidden from view
- You entered the bus lane to stop colliding with another vehicle or person
How do I contact Bristol Council?
I’ve listed how to contact Bristol Council in the table below.
| Pay Bristol bus lane fine online: | https://ocmlive.xrxpsc.com/bristol/OCM-FE/OCM/ |
| Appeal Bristol bus lane fine online: | https://ocmlive.xrxpsc.com/bristol/OCM-FE/OCM/ |
| Appeal Bristol bus lane fine by post: | Parking Services (PCN Appeals), PO Box 3399, Bristol City Council, Bristol, BS1 9NE. |
Bus lane fine Bristol – appeal or pay?
Because bus lane contraventions are caught on camera, and because you can be fined for making a mistake rather than using the bus lane on purpose, you’re going to need a good excuse to get out of it.
There are limited excuses that can work, but if you can truthfully use one of them then there is no reason not to appeal.
If you can’t make a good excuse or can’t evidence your arguments, it’s best to pay within 14 days to get money off your fine.
Whatever you do, never ignore the fine or it will grow bigger and escalate into court action.
Hire a Solicitor for less than a coffee.
If you’re thinking about appealing your bus lane fine then getting some professional advice is a good idea.
Getting the support of a Solicitor can make your appeal much more likely to win.
For a £5 trial, Solicitors from JustAnswer can look at your case and help you create an airtight appeal.
Try it below
In partnership with Just Answer.
References
