Thousands fined for using London's 'shortest bus lane'

A total of 7,854 drivers were caught using the 39-foot bus lane in Northolt Road, Harrow, between April 2019 and the end of 2021, a Freedom of Information request showed. 

It generated £442,363.36 worth of fines for Harrow Council.

But shrewd motorist Geoffrey Ben-Nathan, 77, successfully overturned the fine he received after accidentally driving into the lane. 

Mr Ben-Nathan said the signage on the approach was “unclear” and adjudicators found in his favour when the matter was heard at a tribunal. 

Most of the bus lane along the road has restrictions at certain times of the day but this becomes a 24/7 restriction for the small section at the junction with Alexandra Avenue.

Mr Ben-Nathan, who submitted the Freedom of Information request, said the figures show that most people who are caught will “simply pay up”. 

He said measures should be put in place to make the situation clearer to drivers, particularly if this is a problem spot.

The retired businessman said: “One answer is that councils be put under a statutory duty to flag up all contraventions which are so many per cent above average: be they contraventions in entering a bus lane or contraventions at any other location.

“Morally, the onus must be on councils to prevent motorists from contravening their motoring regulations. This is not the case at the moment.”

As part of the tribunal hearing, Geoffrey gave several examples of other motorists who had overturned their fines by using similar reasoning to his own. 

He suggested the council was happy to keep the measures in place because, even if it loses a few cases, the majority of people will still pay their fines. 

A Harrow Council spokesman said: “It is against the law for ordinary motorists to use a bus lane and doing so usually results in a fine.

“We believe that the signage here is clear and in accordance with the law.”