THE celebrity lawyer known as Mr Loophole has accused Manchester City Council of unlawfully prosecuting motorists.
Nick Freeman, who lives in Cheshire, claimed the local authority is using public surveillance cameras to fine drivers who stray into bus lanes.
A spokesman for the lawyer, who patented his nickname after becoming famous for defending celebrities facing driving offences, said the cameras were used for traffic monitoring but were not designated speed or enforcement cameras.
Mr Freeman, who was alerted to the alleged problem by a council mole, said four cameras in the city centre and the university district were being used to "illegally raise revenue".
He wants the council to reimburse fines and be prosecuted if it is proved to have committed any wrongdoing.
Mr Freeman also said the council would face a "financial nightmare" because motorists who were penalised by evidence from any of the four cameras should be reimbursed.
Car drivers caught on the routes can face £60 fines but pay only a £30 fine if they pay up within 14 days. If the fine is not paid within 28 days it is increased to £90.
The lawyer, who has defended footballers including Wayne Rooney and David Beckham, claimed that the council ignored a Freedom of Information request he made three months ago about its alleged misuse of public surveillance cameras. The request asked how many people had been fined and how much money was raised.
Mr Freeman said: "It is totally unlawful for the council to raise revenue by using public surveillance cameras for non-specified purposes.
"If this is proven to be the case, and the council has remained silent in refuting these allegations, then all members of the public who have paid fines will be entitled to a full reimbursement.
The cameras pinpointed by the lawyer are situated in Manchester city centre at the following junctions: Piccadilly and Newton Street; London Road and Store Street; Oxford Place and Wilmslow Road; and Wilmslow Road and Dickinson Road.
The council has strongly denied illegally using street safety cameras to enforce bus lanes.
It claims it sent the information for the Freedom of Information request in June and refutes claims that cameras were used unlawfully.
Martin Lee, the council's head of street management, said: "All our cameras are fully compliant with the relevant road traffic legislation and meet our obligations under the Data Protection Act and are not being used unlawfully."
Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
d1v1s1onby0, Wigan (12/08/2009 at 17:18)
I would love to hear your opinion of the infamous bollards!
jeffb, buxton (12/08/2009 at 17:23)
Mark,Radcliffe. (12/08/2009 at 17:35)
Theowolfe (12/08/2009 at 18:38)
Phil L, Denton (12/08/2009 at 19:36)
Phil L, Denton (12/08/2009 at 20:50)
There is a bus lane *after* the tram tracks, but as with elsewhere the real issue is not with vehicles using the bus lane, its with vehicles *stopping* in the bus lane, and more specifically, on the bus stop. Needless to say, taxis are the worst offenders. Knowing exactly where the side entrance to the station is - instead of stopping there for their passengers to walk straight into the Station, they deliberately carry on to block the bus stop. Of course, many have made an illegal U-turn from the Fire Station side to reach the bus stop.
citycentre, manchester (12/08/2009 at 21:53)
I wondered which bus lane it meant at store st, maybe the on opposite which turns onto Whitworth st for buses coming into town?
Is the pedestrian crossing at Store st not available to cyclists also, certainly the cycle lane turning left out of store st directs cyclists onto the pavement at the point where the crossing is; oddly the one opposite crossing whitworth st outsdide monroes is definatly a toucan crossing, for pedestrians and bikes, even though no cycle lane leads to it.
this road and pavement is often bloked by taxis also.
The difference between the examples you quote and those of Mr Loophole, is that if citizens break the law it is upto the state to prove we have, also acting within the law, which, it would seem, they often do not. The benefit of the doubt should lie with the citizen
d1v1s1onby0, Wigan (12/08/2009 at 22:33)
"but as with elsewhere the real issue is not with vehicles using the bus lane, its with vehicles *stopping* in the bus lane, and more specifically, on the bus stop."
Actually if you read the story again I think it will remind you that the issue its about is the council prosecuting motorists illegally.
I am sure that Nick, and all other Motorists dont consider themselves to be morally suppior to non-motorists, we just dont like being taken for mugs with bottomless pockets.
In all honesty your rant seems a tad paranoid, as everyone seems out to get you as you try to go about your life.
Of course after reading your posts - maybe they are.
chriso, manchester (13/08/2009 at 00:10)
Joe Pub, Manchester (13/08/2009 at 00:51)
Mark,Radcliffe.,
Could it be Karney by any chance.
George Kane, Stretford (13/08/2009 at 06:41)
Ron, Gorton (13/08/2009 at 07:12)
''Road safety campaigners and traffic officers are up in arms over new guidelines from the Metropolitan Police which strip police of the authority to enforce a range of minor traffic offences. The memo from the Metropolitan Police, which was circulated to officers this week, includes a list of 18 violations, such as driving the wrong direction up one-way streets and ignoring a ‘no U-turn’ or ‘no entry’ sign – all of which police will only be allowed to deal with by a verbal ticking-off. They cannot issue a formal warning or take any reporting action, and may only issue fines if the incident was caught on CCTV''
Plain wrong. Power was handed to the councils and is another revenue raiser.
Swizzle, boothstown (13/08/2009 at 10:00)
Chris R, Irlam (13/08/2009 at 10:30)
jaico (13/08/2009 at 10:38)
Howsmydriving?, Worsley (13/08/2009 at 10:43)
It appears that Manchester City Council are guilty until proved innocent.... Lets all wait for the courtcase to see who's right or wrong.
Maybe It's Me, Any Town (13/08/2009 at 10:52)
Brook Lands (13/08/2009 at 11:12)
If you obeyed the rules then this nasty man would be out of work pretty quickly.
citycentre, manchester (13/08/2009 at 11:51)
" Now all you need to do is lower your fees to a level more affordable to the average Joe and we'll all be happy"
I beleive he has a website which lists the most striaghtfoward ways to check that procedures relating to traffic offence prosecutions have been followed correctly, all for free.
Zimmerman, manchester (13/08/2009 at 12:14)
stalyvegasblue (13/08/2009 at 12:46)
Blue Dude, Manchester. (13/08/2009 at 13:02)
Not Guilty case dismissed, illegally obtained evidence.
You be the judge !
Not too sure where I sit on this. Mr Loophole makes sure the prosecution do a thorough job, makes the police & CPS work harder and ensures evidence cannot be fabricated. If I was the police / cps I'd hire Mr Loophole to teach them how to do it properly, he knows the rules.
Audenshaw Bob (13/08/2009 at 13:25)
So you are obviously for the law being enforced?
But what you are saying is that whilst you want drivers to not drive llegally, you are OK with the state doing things illegally. Works both ways.
I tell you what we need to focus on and that is manners on the road. Just now there was a car broken down in th emiddle lane of the roundabout at the end of the M602. The lights changed to red and I tried to manouvre out of the midle lane as did the car in front of me. The car in front got out OK and there was a large gap but the car in the outside lane was doing about 5mph decided to speed up and swerve towards me so as to box me in. I threw my hands up and pointed at the broken down car as if to say 'I am not pushing out, just getting around this car'. The muppet in the passenger seat and the one in then back were stinging two fingers up, telling me to go forth and multiply etc etc. Really just agressive little thugs. I pulled up next to them at the next lights and am being called allsorts.
What had I don'e to deserve the abuse?
If it was my poor Grandad or my wife they would be really shaken up. That is what needs sorting out, not having some bloke sat in the back of a van trying to catch people at 33mph.
Dr Pepper (13/08/2009 at 14:12)
Esso Blue., Manchester (13/08/2009 at 14:19)
12/08/2009 at 20:50
More complicated than putting a rubick's cube together