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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Anna Lewis

Man fined for driving in a bus lane to let an ambulance go past

A man was fined for pulling into a bus lane to let an ambulance pass.

Mark Richards, 37, received the £70 penalty after pulling out of the way of the emergency vehicle on North Road in Cardiff.

CCTV from the incident shows the moment Mr Richards, from Llanrumney , enters the bus lane to pull over in a bus stop on October 18.

After the vehicle passes, his car is then seen to leave the lay-by before continuing in the correct lane.

Mr Richards said: "I was driving to town and an ambulance was behind me. The car behind me pulled over in the bus lane and I followed straight away as the ambulance wouldn't be able to pass.

"Otherwise both of us would have blocked both lanes.

"As soon as the ambulance went past I pulled back out.

"It's ridiculous. In the still photo they provided you can't see the ambulance. I pulled in then two or three seconds later the ambulance goes past. It was going quite fast."

The father-of-three added: "All they had to do was look at the footage.

"When an ambulance is on a call every second counts."

The moment the ambulance passes Mark Richards's car (Mark Richards)
The bus lane Mr Richards was fined for entering on North Road (Google)

Mr Richards said he paid the fine the same day he received the penalty letter. 

But he claims he was not aware he was able to view the full footage from the incident until after he paid the £35 fee.

He said: "I paid it as soon as I found out about it.

"If I hadn't paid it it would have gone up to £70 so I would rather pay it and then appeal afterwards.

"I've been driving for 10 years and I've never had a fine so I panicked. I would never have known the procedure."

A spokesman for Cardiff Council said motorists are able to appeal a penalty but cannot appeal once a fine has been paid.

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