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Fined for getting out of the way

Deborah Linton
25/ 7/2008

A MOTORIST was fined after pulling into a bus lane - to let an ambulance on a 999 call get past.

Khalid Mahmood moved into the bus lane on Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester, to let the ambulance use the wrong side of the road and get round a queue of traffic.

But eight days later he received a £60 fine from Manchester Council saying he had driven his Citreon Xara illegally in the bus lane.

A CCTV picture of the incident sent to him by the council shows three other cars using the bus lane and the back of the ambulance.

Father-of-two Mr Mahmood, from Crumpsall, who says he has a clean driving licence and is training to become a driving instructor, said he was appalled that the council was trying to make money out of the situation.

Businessman Mr Mahmood, 45, said: "It just takes a bit of commonsense. Surely they can see from the image that they have recorded that there is an ambulance but they've been unscrupulous and thought we've caught them using the lane so we'll make them pay up.

"I imagine all the other drivers in the picture have been hit too.

"The ambulance was using its lights and the sirens were going."

Mr Mahmood received the fine on Tuesday morning.

It says that he used the lane at 5.10pm on July 14 near the police station on Cheetham Hill Road.

The driver of 28 years said he uses the route almost every day and is fully aware of the bus lane restrictions which he has never contravened on purpose.

He was told to pay a £60 fine which could be reduced to £30 if he pays within two weeks.

When he called the council to question it he claims he was told that they had the evidence and he had to pay.

He added: "Surely it would be more of an offence not to move out of the way for an ambulance.

Shameful

"What am I supposed to do next time, just stay put? I've taken the first two parts of my driving instructor test. I pride myself on my driving skills and I think it is shameful to make money out of this situation."

But when the M.E.N contacted the council they decided to withdraw the fine.

A Manchester council spokesman said: "After examining the footage of the incident in detail we have decided to withdraw the fine against Mr Mahmood, and apologise for any inconvenience this has caused him."

He said that any other motorists who were fined for trying to let the ambulance past should contact 9549000 or email buslanes@manchester.gov.uk

The Highway Code states that drivers should not break the law to assist emergency vehicles.

It says that motorists should comply with traffic signs and if necessary pull to the side of the road and stop.

A spokeswoman for the North West Ambulance Service said: "Emergency vehicle drivers are specially trained and have exemptions to the law that the general public don't have.

"The North West Ambulance Service encourages the public to try and remove themselves carefully from the path of the emergency vehicle, taking care to note what other drivers around them are doing, making sure the path they take is a safe one, always adhering to rules in the Highway Code."

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