A bus lane that is only 39ft long has generated more than £440,000 in fines in just under two years.
Recent figures showed 7,854 drivers were caught driving on the small section of Northolt Road at the junction with Alexandra Avenue, in South Harrow, between April 2019 and the end of 2021.
The figures were obtained by Geoffrey Ben-Nathan, 77, a driver who submitted a freedom of information (FOI) request to Harrow Council after he managed to overturn his own fine on that stretch of the road.
In total, the council, who said the bus stop is in place ‘in accordance with the law’, generated £442,363.36 in the 21-month period.
A 39ft bus lane in Northolt Road, South Harrow, generated £442,363.36 in fines after catching 7,854 drivers between April 2019 and the end of December 2021
Geoffrey Ben Nathan, 77 (pictured), was a driver who filed a Freedom of Information (FOI) request at Harrow Council following his victory over his previous fine for that section of road.
Ben-Nathan was penalized for driving through the 12-meter (12ft) bus lane, which is subject to a 24 hour restriction.
A grandfather said that this stretch of road “must be London’s smallest bus lanes”, but he claimed the rules weren’t clear because other restrictions along the same route could only be applied during certain hours of the day.
After claiming that there was no prescriptive sign telling drivers to alter lanes, he called for the removal of the 24-hour restrictions and signs to make it more clear to all other drivers.
Harrow Council, however, disagreed and stated “we believe that this signage is clear”.
After Mr Ben-Nathan had measured and provided other examples of drivers who were caught driving on that small section, the case went to tribunal.
The council, he claimed, was content to preserve the bus lane. They even lost a few cases since they knew the majority of people would “simply pay up”.
He suggested that measures be taken to clarify the situation for drivers in particular in the area he called a “problem spot”. All councils should have a statutory obligation to report any contraventions which are more frequent than usual.
After driving in the section of bus lane that is 39 feet (12 m) long, Mr Ben-Nathan was fined. He claimed the rules were unclear.
Ben-Nathan also asked what the purpose of the bus lane was, calling it “a box along one end of a small triangular islands”.
On January 20, 2020, the council received questions about the same issue along the same section of road.
On that occasion, a council spokesman said: ‘The law is clear – you cannot drive in a bus lane at any point where there is a solid white line.
“We are standing by our belief that signage conforms to law and is legal.”