Below is my appeal letter which I emailed to them yesterday. The first few points are more me having a rant as I know from other forums they aren't grounds for the ticket to be cancelled.
But I can't see how they will worm their way out of the quote from the DFT road signs manual. They have failed to set the bus gate up properly, so have no grounds to fine me for going through it.
I'll let you know when I hear back from them
I am writing to formally challenge the above Penalty Charge Notice.
There is inadequate advance warning of this prohibition.
There is no warning at the access point on Stroud Green Road.
This is in fact a no through road and should be sign posted as such.
The confusion is compounded as you approach the junction and see the
“turn left” arrow on the road, which again misleading (and perhaps
even encouraging to motorists), should perhaps state “Buses Only”.
Interestingly, according to Google Street View, you have replaced far
more substantial and clear No Entry signs with the smaller and
slightly more ambiguous No Motor Vehicles signs. Could you explain why
that was? It would appear to a more cynical mind that it could be a
way of “trapping” motorists and I will be submitting a FOI request in
order to obtain the figures for PCN’s before and after this signage
change.
Also, according to the DFT’s Traffic Signs Manual, Chapter 3, 15.30 states:
“A bus gate is a short length of bus-only street (see para 15.4). On
a two-way road, access may be restricted to buses in one direction
only, with all traffic permitted in the opposite direction, i.e.
similar to a contra-flow lane, but too short to be signed as such. In
this case, that part of the carriageway reserved for buses should be
separated from the opposing flow of traffic by a traffic island and
not by a continuous line marking to diagram 1049 (see figure 15-13).
Bus gates are often used to remove through traffic from a road but
allow full access. They effectively create a “no through road” for all
traffic other than buses. The bus gate may be located either at a
junction or part way along a road, and may be used by pedal cycles and
taxis where permitted by the order.”
Can you confirm that it was a bus gate where the alleged contravention
took place? And if so explain, why there is not a traffic island
separating it from the opposing flow of traffic?
Lastly, I am unable to view the pictures of this alleged contravention
on your website when using the PCN number and registration as detailed
above.
For these reasons I look forward to receiving notification that the
Penalty Charge Notice has been cancelled within 28 days.
Yours sincerely,