Driver slapped with £100 fine and three points for 'allowing ambulance to pass'

10 January 2023 , 12:30

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Frank Wallington said he had a "completely clean licence" prior to the incident (Image: Nottingham Post / BPM Media)

A pensioner has told of how he was fined £100 and given three points after pulling over on a busy road to allow an ambulance to overtake him.

Frank Wallington, 76, had pulled over on his way to a funeral to allow the emergency services vehicle to overtake.

But the pensioner, from Walsall, passed through traffic lights at the busy junction just 1.2 seconds after they turned red.

He was contacted a month later by Nottinghamshire Police, who informed him of his traffic offence and punishment.

Frank said the measures were unfair and told Nottinghamshire Live he wanted mitigating circumstances to be considered.

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He described the incident on the A52 Grantham Road in Nottinghamshire as "frustrating".

He said: "I'm an advanced driver and I've always had a completely clean licence. I actually feel I could have carried on and driven straight through the traffic lights without any problem.

Frank had pulled over on his way to a funeral to allow the emergency services vehicle to overtake (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

"But then I would have delayed the ambulance and what I assume was a car with perhaps a relative of the patient in the ambulance, with it being so close to the ambulance.

"I can't deny that I was 1.2 seconds late going through the traffic lights. But my point is that it was mitigating circumstances.

"If I had carried on I would have blocked the ambulance's procedure through those traffic lights as the road went into a single lane shortly afterwards."

The Black Country man said he had made a "split second decision" and paid the price. He said he was "distracted" as he tried to let the ambulance through and wasn't looking at the lights.

"A split second decision on my part has caused me to go through the lights after they had turned red, but I was distracted of course as they were overtaking me," he said.

"I wasn't looking at the traffic lights. I was looking at them in my rear view mirror whilst they overtook me."

Despite explaining the situation, Frank claimed he had been told that he must appear at Nottingham Magistrate's Court on February 14 if he wishes to dispute the punishment.

He added: "They are not listening. It's going to be expensive to drive over there in fuel alone, to have a day in court just to say exactly what I would say in a letter and what I have already said to them."

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