The Enforcement Process for an Alleged Bus Lane Contravention

So you have received a Penalty Charge Notice for a Bus Lane contravention - what should you do.  This section takes you through the enforcement process step by step and provides samples of the various notices that you may receive if the case progresses. These are the stages in the enforcement process. Please note that the sample notices shown may be different to the notices that you may receive if the case progresses. These are examples and whilst some of the text is required by law the notice that you may receive may have a different layout or some of the wording may be different. 

Informal challenge (also known as an Informal representation)

This is basically a letter or email from you telling the local authority why you think they should cancel the PCN.  It is not part of the formal appeal process although as long as you write in within 28 days nearly all local authorities will accept an informal challenge. They will consider what you say and may cancel the PCN.  However, if they do not accept your informal challenge, they will normally allow you a further 14 days to pay at the reduced rate if they received your letter or email  within the 14 day discount period. For this reason you should ensure that your informal challenge arrives at the local authority within 14 days. (We suggest that you check with the enforcing authority that they will preserve the discount in this way)

You can still wait for an Enforcement Notice to be served and make a formal appeal to the enforcing authority although you will have then lost the right to pay at the discounted rate.

If you want to make formal representations under the statutory grounds, then you must wait for the Enforcement Notice.  We would recommend that an informal challenge (representation) is sent initially as you would still have the option of a formal representation if your informal representations are not accepted.

In this section: (click a link to jump straight to the relevant information):
Enforcement notice - issued if the Penalty Charge Notice is not paid within 28 days (or informal representations made). 
Making representations - formal representations can be made once the enforcement notice has been received (after 28 days from issue of PCN) or most enforcing authorities will accept informal representations before this time. 
Notice of acceptance – if your representations are accepted. 
Notice of rejection – if your representations are rejected. 
Appealing To The Bus Lane Adjudicator - the form sent out with a notice of rejection allowing you to appeal to the independent bus lane adjudicator. 
Appeals FAQ's 
Charge certificate for bus lane PCN – can be issued if you fail to either pay the penalty charge notice or appeal within 28 days after an enforcement notice has need received or 28 days after the refusal of your appeal to the council or the independent adjudicator. 
Registration of debt, order of recovery and witness statement – The debt can be registered at the traffic enforcement centre if you have not made payment within 14 days of the issue of a charge certificate. There are then recovery procedures available to an enforcing authority to follow including instructing of bailiffs. A motorist can at this stage have the process reversed under certain circumstances by swearing a statutory declaration. 

> Next: Penalty charge notice (PCN)s

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