A DRIVER was left furious after being hit with a fine for moving into a bus lane to let an emergency vehicle pass.

Amy Llewelyn was heading west on the A259 in Rottingdean when she spotted blue flashing lights in her rear-view mirror on February 8.

She pulled over into the bus lane to allow the police car to pass and two weeks later a penalty charge notice dropped through her letterbox in Seaford.

The admin manager thought it would be a straightforward appeal, but to her dismay, Brighton and Hove City Council dismissed her story saying the fine stood.

Her case was eventually reviewed and upheld by the Traffic Penalty Tribunal for England and Wales but Miss Llewelyn said others may not have challenged it twice and be stuck with the fine.

The 28-year-old said: “If people are going to get fined for that, it could have fatal consequences because drivers won’t move as it’s not worth the fine.

"You can see in the picture that a police car is a few yards away.

“I thought I’d appeal it and it would be a cut and dry case.

“But it came back that they were pressing on with the fine and I just thought, 'they can’t be for real'.

“It’s clear what I’m doing and I just could not believe they were pursuing it."

Having appealed the £30 fine, she was contacted by a council officer who said: “I have noted the comments made in your representation that, 'Myself and the van in front were moving over to let an emergency vehicle with sirens pass us. You can clearly see the emergency vehicle in your picture.”

“However this does not entitle you to use the bus lane. You must remain in the right hand lane and allow any emergency vehicle to use the bus lane.

“You must not enter the bus lane early, even if there is a queue of traffic.

“You must remain in the right hand lane until the bus lane ends.

“Only designated vehicles are permitted to drive in bus lanes.

“By driving in a bus lane you are obstructing the road for these vehicles causing delays for public transport users.”

The case was eventually reviewed by the Traffic Penalty Tribunal for England and Wales and adjudicator James Richardson rubbished the council’s decision and the fine was overturned a month after the incident.

He said: “I find Miss Llewelyn responded and reacted to an emergency vehicle. Her actions were correct and entirely reasonable.

“I am surprised at the suggestion offered that she should have remained in the lane and made the following vehicle manoeuvre.”

Miss Llewelyn said: “The whole situation was just ridiculous and not everyone would’ve challenged it twice, so there could be people out there getting fined for moving out of the way for an emergency vehicle.”