Couple's anger after being sent clean air zone fines worth £1k despite never driving to Bristol

Andrew Robison has been sent multiple fines Credit: BPM Media

A couple who live 140 miles away and have never been to Bristol have hit out at the city council as they keep getting fined for breaching the clean air zone.

Andrew and Fiona Robison said they have asked Bristol City Council to stop fining them and despite assurances that it will not happen again, it still is.

They have already been sent eight fines so far and have successfully appealed the charges.

The couple live in Horsham in Sussex, and drive a silver Renault diesel which does not comply with the Bristol Clean Air Zone regulations. Their number plate starts with the letters GY11.

The fines sent to the Robisons in Sussex Credit: BPM Media

However, a silver Audi which is clean air zone compliant and with a number plate beginning with CY11, is being caught on the council's cameras because of a bolt which is making the C look like a G.

Despite being a completely different colour and make of car, the council’s systems clock the number plate and send the couple a fine each time the driver goes into the clean air zone.

The Robisons are now calling on Bristol City Council to resolve the issue and stop any more fines being sent to them.

Mr Robison said: “I was assured by the PCN appeals team that a note would be placed on file and told that these notices are manually reviewed.

“This is evidently not working and when I asked who I could speak with I was advised Stephen Peacock who I now understand is the CEO of the Council.

Andrew Robison has been left frustrated by the wrongly issued fines Credit: BPM Media

“I have left a message for Patsy Mellor, the director ‘Management of Place’, but have little faith that after four months this is actually being taken seriously, despite my wife being threatened with fines of over £1000 to date.Because the car is registered in Mrs Robison’s name, the council will not take calls from Mr Robison, unless she is also present and consents for them to talk to him about her car.

Andrew said: “It’s interesting that they go to that level of security, yet we are in receipt of various photographs with dates, times and locations of another person’s car with no regard for their privacy whatsoever."

Mr Robison has now formally complained to Bristol City Council.

A Bristol City Council spokesperson said: “We have been in regular contact with the Robisons to understand and resolve their case. We have looked into the details of their case and can confirm that the letter C on the number plate was misread by the system as a G due to the placement of a bolt on another vehicle’s number plate.

"All of their current Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) have been cancelled and they will not incur any more PCNs from now on.

"They will shortly receive written confirmation of their PCN cancellations, and they do not need to take any further action. We apologise for any inconvenience or upset caused by this error.”