Another driver steps forward claiming he did NOT receive a Northampton bus lane fine from the council...and now there are threats of legal action

Mark and Marcus say they did not receive the first letter which would have allowed them to pay £30 instead of £90.

Another driver has stepped forward claiming that he also did NOT receive a fine letter from the council after driving in one of Northampton's busy bus lanes.

This comes after Peter Cottle, of Harlestone Road, drove in the 24-hour bus lane along the A4500, next to Westbridge Garage, to undertake a car on March 22.

However, Mr Cottle said he did not receive the initial fine notice through the post from the council, which offers motorists to pay a £60 fine reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days.

By missing this payment, the fine increased to £90 and there were later threats of legal action.

And the same claim has now been made by Mark Baker who said his son Marcus was caught in the Drapery bus lane on March 21 while on his way to work.

His son admits he was in the wrong by driving in the bus lane but said he did so as he thought the restrictions were from 8am until 5pm.

However, what the father and son say they never received the first fine letter in the post which allows rule breakers to pay £60 reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days. Instead, they received the second letter demanding £90 and threats of legal action.

West Northamptonshire Council previously said in the case of Mr Cottle's complaint that there may have been an issue with Royal Mail on March 25, which was the same date that Mark and Marcus' letter was sent out.

Mark said: "We didn't know anything about the offence until we got second letter saying we had not paid the first fine. Now it was going to be £90.

"I went back to the council and said I was happy to pay the original £60 and explained about redirected post."

Mark used to live in Little Billing until he recently moved to Leicestershire with Marcus, said that even if the letter had been sent, it had not been redirected from his old address to his new one.

He continued: "I don't believe they sent the letter.

"Then I saw the Chronicle and Echo's article about another man [Peter] who didn't receive his first letter and it made me think it might be the same situation, that I was not issued the first letter.

"I have contacted the council since the article but I have not heard anything back. They are supposed to be getting in touch in the next 28 days.

"Under the circumstances, they should resubmit the first letter so I can pay the first rate.

"It's down to the council. If they know there is an issue with those letters they should get in touch with those people and resubmit those first letters again.

"They need to do their due diligence. If they make a mistake they should own up to it and rectify it themselves. Not leave it for the drivers to argue."

West Northamptonshire Council has been contacted for comment.

The bank of traffic cameras in the Drapery finally went live on February 1 this year after being in the pipeline since 2016.