REVERSE CHARGE
Mum slams ‘ridiculous’ £70 fine for reversing into her own driveway on ‘red route’ road
A MUM has slammed the “ridiculous” £70 fine she was given for reversing into her own driveway.
The furious driver - known only as Stephanie - was caught waiting on a no-stopping zone to safely back into her own drive in Reading, Berkshire.
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Stunned Stephanie, 51, received a £70 fine in the post from her local council for stopping on double red lines outside her home.
The "red route" lines were painted along a bus route to ease congestion.
In November 2019, the red route in West Reading was made permanent– meaning drivers caught stopping on the route can receive a £70 fine, reduced to £35 if paid within two weeks.
There are a number of exceptions to the rule, including buses, postal services, refuse vehicles and emergency services.
RED ROUTE RAGE
But Stephanie said: “This is just ridiculous.
“It means that you cannot reverse onto your own driveway – which is a much safer option than reversing into a busy road.
“To me, it’s just common sense to reverse in. I’ve been fined for trying to do the right thing."
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FINED FOR SAFETY
Stephanie received the fine in the post on January 20 for the incident on January 13.
She has since appealed to the council and now wants to warn other drivers that they might be fined for trying to drive safely.
Stephanie said: “A number of other people in my street reverse onto their drives so I also just want to warn them that they might be fined for doing that.
“I just think this red route thing is a money making exercise.
What are red routes?
- Red routes are major roads in urban areas where stopping, loading or unloading a vehicle is not allowed.
- They are created to ease congestion in traffic hot spots.
- A Red Route has continuous red lines painted along the road, these can either be a single line or double red lines and they are always next to the kerb.
- Other regulations often apply on red routes too, including prohibition of U-turns and lane restrictions.
- Red routes mean you can be fined even for stopping briefly.
A Reading Borough Council spokesman said: "A red route is a 'no stopping' restriction introduced to keep key public transport routes clear to prevent delays for bus passengers and to remove obstacles and hazards for cyclists and pedestrians.
"Any driver issued with a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) who does not believe they should have received the fine can challenge it by following the procedures detailed on the PCN and explained on the council website."