A carer from Hebburn who challenged a bus lane fine will get her money back after Gateshead Council dropped the charge on appeal.
Michaela Moyse, 36, drove from her home to Gateshead Quayside to attend an event celebrating the coronation of King Charles III on May 7. She and her partner attempted to find parking near South Shore Road but to no avail, so turned around to try elsewhere.
However, unbeknownst to her at the time, she had inadvertently entered the controversial South Shore Road bus lane incurring a £70 fine. Michaela, who suffers from depression and anxiety, found the process extremely stressful and says she is now extra paranoid when driving.
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Michaela said she already chooses not to drive in Newcastle for similar reasons.
Senior carer Michaela said: "All I had done is drive up that little bit and turn straight back round, I didn't park up anywhere, I was there for two seconds.
"After it happened my partner and I went down and took photos of the signage and stuff, there's only one sign saying there is a camera and the writing on the ground is not clear."
She continued: "I do suffer with depression and anxiety anyway and so I was thinking if I don't pay this will I have to go to court?"
Michaela paid her fine within 14 days, halving it to £35. She later decided to contest the penalty feeling the bus lane was improperly signposted and unfair.
The health worker first appealed for a refund to Gateshead Council, which upheld its original decision. She then escalated the matter to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT) and on June 15, the fine was scrapped.
Michaela is now due a refund from Gateshead Council. According to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal: "Gateshead Council has taken the view it is not in the public interest to pursue this matter further."
Upon hearing the news of her quashed fine, Michaela said: "I wasn't expecting that, I just didn't think they would say it wasn't right."
A spokesperson from Gateshead Council said: "We don’t comment on individual cases. In this case, this person has had a penalty charge notice (PCN) and has used the appeals process, as a result of which their PCN has been cancelled.
"Whenever someone pays a PCN, which is subsequently cancelled on appeal, we will always refund them."
In 2022, 11,278 motorists were fined for entering the South Shore bus lane. The Local Democracy Reporting Service estimates this generated between £394,730 and £789,460 in penalty revenue.
This is the second occasion in recent times Gateshead has not contested fines brought to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal. In April this year, a Newcastle grandmother, who accidentally entered the Askew Road bus lane driving her grandchildren to the cinema, had her fine dropped after she went to tribunal.
Sandra Dawson, 74, was concerned she might have had to pay the fine off in instalments as she was unable to pay the fine in full immediately. After the fine was not contested on appeal, Ms Dawson said: "I'm so relieved that common sense has prevailed."
