Should wedding cars be exempt from bus lane fines

A Glasgow wedding car business is calling for its vehicles to be exempt from bus lane fines. White Ribbon Wedding Cars were fined £60 for driving down a bus lane when dropping a bride off at Glasgow’s Trade Halls for her wedding.

Jack Clyde, who is owner of the luxury car firm as well as a taxi driver for Glasgow Taxis, branded the road the system as “convoluted”. He defended his actions of using the bus lane by saying he dropped the bride off in the bus lane as he didn’t want her to have to walk to the venue.

The 61-year-old said: “I’m quite annoyed as the only other way I could’ve got to where I needed to go was a totally impractical route so I had to pay this fine.

“Should I just drop a bride at Marks and Spencers and let her walk 200 yards?

The venue at the centre of the controversy has said it has experienced problems previously regarding the bus lane system.

The council made around £700,000 from one specific camera on the very road in question from 27,992 fines last year.

Jack added: “The lack of common sense is farcical. And to know that my fine is part of a wider £700,000 just shows it to be a complete rip-off.”

He also criticised the signage of the bus lane in the area, mentioning that it was hard to see them while looking out for pedestrians at the same time.

Gordon Stewart, secretary of the Institute of Advanced Motorists Glasgow South group, said: “It would help drivers if there were more signs showing where the lanes are or where they are coming up.

“The city centre’s one-way system can be confusing to drivers and visitors.”

A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: “The Trade Halls are accessible from Wilson Street so there was no need for the wedding car to travel through the Glassford Street bus lane.”