Reading man angry at car fine while trying to leave driveway

Lindsay Ewan, who is looking after the garden and doing work at his father’s home in Tilehurst, has been slapped with a fine for breaching red route traffic rules, which ban drivers from stopping on the red lines.

But Mr Ewan is appealing the fine as he believes it was issued unfairly.

Mr Ewan, 62, from Tilehurst, said: “It’s a ludicrous situation.

“I reverse out of my dad’s drive, waiting until a safe time to pull away to go further into Tilehurst.

“Then I got a ticket for being safe.”

Mr Ewan was caught out by the council’s CCTV enforcement car, also known as an approved PCN device.

READ MORE: How many times the council's CCTV enforcement car has caught drivers out in Reading

He said: “If this is the attitude of Reading Borough Council, that you are unable to wait for a safe break in traffic to pull away I must assume that they rather I pull straight out without any regard for other road users and potentially cause a road incident.

“I want the ludicrous nature of this to be stopped.  Should I pull out into moving traffic and cause an accident?

“That’s the only other choice I have.”

Lindsay Ewan outside his father's house in Tilehurst. Credit: James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporting Service

In a letter to the council opposing the fine, Mr Ewan wrote: “This penalty charge is unreasonable as I was waiting to pull away when it was safe.

“I look forward to your prompt reply and the crushing of this unreasonable penalty charge notice.”

The incident occurred at 11.20am on Monday, June 20, outside his father’s home in Norcot Road.

Mr Ewan was hit with the fine on Monday, July 4.

Lindsay Ewan's letter to Reading Borough Council asking for the fine to be revoked. Credit: Lindsay Ewan

A spokesperson for Reading Borough Council said: “Red routes are ‘no stopping’ restrictions which helps keep key public transport moving, minimise delays for bus passengers, and improves safety for pedestrians and cyclists by preventing dangerous or illegal parking.

“There is a well- established appeal process in place for any motorist to challenge any Penalty Charge Notice and we would encourage drivers to follow it if they believe they have been unfairly fined.

“When the enforcement vehicle passes a vehicle, it will slow down to ensure all evidence is collected.”

READ MORE: The top 10 bus lanes which have caught drivers out in Reading

Statistics from 2020-21 show 130 PCNs were issued for contravening the red route in Norcot Road using the council’s CCTV enforcement enforcement vehicles. 

The Local Democracy Reporting Service visited Mr Ewan at his father’s home on Wednesday, July 20.

Although the council has cancelled the fine, the letter from the council’s parking services states: “The decision made in this instance must not be regarded as precedent as any further PCNs issued for this contravention will be enforced.”

Mr Ewan has been a member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists since 1978.