Woman fined after accidentally driving in bus lane on way to hospital

Woman who accidentally drove in a bus lane as she raced after an ambulance carrying her critically ill partner is slapped with £65 fine

• Sally Olsen, 64, was fined after driving into a North West London bus lane
• The incident happened as she raced to hospital to see her comatose partner 

A woman was hit with a £65 fine after accidentally driving into a bus lane while following an ambulance carrying her critically ill partner.

Sally Olsen, 64, drove into the London bus lane after hospital staff told her to follow an ambulance carrying her 63 year old partner Ian Trantum. 

Doctors had previously decided to put Mr Trantum into a coma, after the retired police officer contracted sepsis following a hernia operation.

He was later transferred from Central Middlesex Hospital in Acton to Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow, where he remained unconscious for nearly two weeks. 

After being called by hospital staff, Ms Olsen got into Mr Trantum’s car and followed the ambulance to the Harrow hospital, fearing her partner might die.

Sally Olsen (left) was fined after driving into a bus lane to see her partner Ian Trantum (right)

He was later transferred from Central Middlesex Hospital in Acton to Northwick Park Hospital (pictured) in Harrow, where he remained unconscious for nearly two weeks

As she rushed to the hospital, Ms Olsen put her destination into the SatNav and set off through unfamiliar streets, only realising later that she had driven through a bus lane.

‘The SatNav took me through windy roads and I saw a narrow bit with a wide bit and realised too late I’d gone through a bus lane,’ Ms Olsen said. 

Just two weeks later, Harrow Council served the physiotherapist with a £65 penalty notice.

‘In the circumstances all I was thinking was Ian was going to die,’ Ms Olsen said. 

Former police officer Mr Trantum remembers nothing of the ordeal after being comatose for the entirety of the 12 day period. 

The couple were, however, forced to push back against the Harrow Council bureaucracy as Mr Trantum recovered from his comatose state.

During his five-week convalescence, Harrow Council said Sally was not the registered keeper of the car and the Mr Trantum had to pay the fine. 

If his appeal failed the council threatened to double the fine to £130. It was only after the media contacted the local authority that the council backed off. 

‘It’s outrageous and it’s heartless, there’s no empathy,’ Mr Trantum said. 

‘I wasn’t well at all and this just left a nasty taste in my mouth. It’s the principle. If you appeal they say it doesn’t fit the criteria.

‘It’s a really bad system, like somebody just looks through a tick box and then they threaten you with an increased fine if you do appeal and fail.

‘You’d like to think that somebody would look at the circumstances and treat everyone on its merits. Clearly they didn’t.’

‘They should say ‘I’m ever so sorry for the inconvenience and stress, hope you’re making a full recovery’, there’s none of that. There’s no empathy.’

A Harrow Council spokesperson said: ‘We’ve reviewed the case again. Given the circumstances we have on this occasion cancelled the PCN.’

Commenting on the council’s decision, Ms Olsen said: ‘It’s fantastic. We feel vindicated. At least the council had the good sense to see reason.’

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