FINING drivers who enter bus lanes to let fire engines pass is "crazy" and suggests road laws need to be changed to protect the civic-minded, said Scotland's Fire Brigades Union (FBU).
A spokesman said the Highway Code should be re- written to defend drivers who let emergency services through and suggested failing to do so should be made a criminal offence.
The comments come after Dr Catherine Berry, a Glasgow University lecturer, said she was sent a £30 penalty notice by the city council after pulling into an empty bus lane to let two fire engines pass.
Roddy Robertson, executive council member for Scotland's FBU, said: "If it was simply moving out of the way for an emergency vehicle and then moving back, then it was rather crazy to fine somebody for that.
"We would encourage all road users to move out of the way when it's safe to do so and clearly moving into a bus lane would be the safe thing to do if there is an emergency vehicle coming. I find it quite incredible the council has taken this position."
Mr Robertson said the Highway Code should provide drivers with an exemption for breaking laws to help the emergency services and called for a consultation process to determine how to reshape road laws.
He claimed some firefighters do not like forcing drivers to break road safety laws and have even turned off blue flashing lights and horns in traffic jams to avoid panic.
Mr Robertson suggested that by making it "a civil or criminal offence not to move out of the way for an emergency vehicle", firefighters might be less concerned about making drivers break traffic laws.
"If it's law that you must make way for emergency vehicles, then it puts the onus a wee bit back on to getting out of the way rather than prosecuting people who go into bus lanes," he said.
Paul Watters, the AA's head of public affairs, said he hoped sense would prevail in the lecturer's appeal to Glasgow City Council against the fine.
He added: "These things should ideally be sorted out before the penalty notice is sent. They are supposed to look at the pictures and view them in context. Hopefully this appeal should be won. It is absolutely wrong to penalise someone who moves out of the way for an emergency service vehicle on blue lights."
The camera that caught Dr Berry is just past the fire station on Maryhill Road, Glasgow.
The 38-year-old academic has been contesting the decision for seven months and is still awating the outcome of a hearing in February. She stands to pay out £90 if she loses her challenge to transport officials.
Glasgow City Council said drivers would not usually face a penalty if they had a legitimate reason to be in a bus lane – such as avoiding an accident or making way for an emergency vehicle. The council said last week it had not been supplied with enough information about this case to be able to comment.
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