A Newcastle grandmother has emerged victorious following a battle with  Gateshead Council over a bus lane fine in the town centre.

Sandra Dawson, 74, was driving her two grandchildren to the cinema on the morning of April 6, but in doing so, accidentally entered the notorious Askew Road bus lane.

Shortly after, Gateshead Council sent the Dumpling Hill resident a £70 fixed penalty notice, which Ms Dawson says she would not have been in an easy position to pay since retiring.

However, Ms Dawson made a last ditch appeal with the Traffic Penalty Tribunal whereupon the demands for payment were dropped.

The Askew Road bus lane has been a contentious issue for motorists for some time, with almost 30,000 drivers having been fined between April 2021 and March 2022.  A Freedom of Information request revealed fines generated from the bus lane generated £1.8m in fines in that time.

While Ms Dawson does not drive around Gateshead regularly, she still found the Askew Road bus lane particularly difficult to negotiate

By the time she had realised her error, she said: “I was committed and I couldn’t do anything. There were buses tooting at me to move but there was a gentleman in front of me. I found the whole situation very stressful.”

When Ms Dawson first appealed directly to the council to have the fine withdrawn, she was less than impressed.  Ms Dawson said: “They didn’t look at what I had said to them. They are just so mercenary.”

It soon dawned on her she may have to pay the fine in instalments, unable to cough up the full £70 fine, but was unsure how to go about it.

Ms Dawson continued: “I would have done but I didn’t know how you could achieve that. I don’t suppose there is a box online asking if you want to do that and it’s so difficult to speak to someone in person because it is all automated now.”

In a last-ditch effort, the grandmother-of-two appealed to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, whereupon the fine was waived. The Tribunal promptly responded and said: “The Council has taken the view that it is not in the public interest to pursue this matter further.”

Ms Dawson said: “I’m just so relieved I couldn’t believe the email. I didn’t expect the outcome I got. I’m so relieved that common sense had prevailed.”

A Gateshead Council spokesperson said: “Decisions to make changes to road layout and traffic configurations are continually monitored to ensure their effectiveness, and in the case of Askew Road we have made improvements based on tribunal outcomes, as well as insights received from residents, drivers, and colleagues.

“While we do not comment on individual cases, I can confirm the council has not lost any recent tribunals in relation to the traffic regulations on Askew Road.”

In response to the story, Lib Dem councillor Jonathan Wallace shared his experience of the bus lane and its effects on traffic.

Coun Wallance said: “In January last year, I saw 15 cars coming onto the bus lane, realise they were in a bus lane, stop, and try to get into the middle of the road. All because it is very confusing and it is not clear from the signage. 

“We have said they need to start again with this traffic management scheme because all it has done is cause more congestion and more pollution.

“I would say to the person who has not been penalised ‘well done’ and perhaps she will share her experience with other people who may be in the same position.”

In August 2022, 736 people signed a petition to implore Gateshead Council to re-open Askew Road to all traffic, as many felt the current system is “not fit for purpose”.