Pensioner fined for accidentally going through red light to let ambulance pass

Frank Wallington got the penalty after the nose of his car went over the white line while traffic lights were red

Frank Wallington was given a fine and three points on his licence when the nose of his car when over the white light at a traffic stop (SWNS)

A pensioner has been left furious after being slapped with a £100 fine and three points for accidentally going through a red light while letting an ambulance through.

Frank Wallington was handed his penalty after the nose of his BMW went over the white line while the lights were red after he moved to let a speeding ambulance through on the A52 in Nottingham.

Frank, 76, had been driving home to the West Midlands after attending his cousin’s funeral when he was caught on camera driving through the lights 1.2 seconds after they changed.

He had been driving from the funeral in Long Bennington along the A52 Grantham Road approaching the traffic light junction at Cropwell Road in Nottingham when he spotted the ambulance.

Frank believes that if the ambulance had not been approaching he would have sailed through the lights on green or would’ve swiftly reacted to the light change.

The grandad of four initially tried to counter his £100 fine and three-point penalty by laying out the facts in March 2022 but he was left without a response for nearly a year.

Now he could have to appear at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court after a letter with a hearing date arrived at the weekend – nearly 10 months after the fine.

Frank, who now works part-time at a school, said: “I see an ambulance behind me in my mirror, so I moved over to the left.

“I saw a white car tailgating. I had to delay setting off because of the car behind it. I went through the traffic lights 1.2 seconds too late. The punishment is three points and a £100 fine.

“I was on the way back from my cousin’s funeral in Long Bennington. We were very close to my cousin. It was sometime in the afternoon on the way home.

“The ambulance and the car behind it were going quite fast. I indicated to show that I’d seen him and that I was slowing down to allow him to pass.

“I was looking at them in my wing mirror, I had taken my eyes off of the traffic lights. I passed my advanced driving test 20 years ago and still adhere to all the things I was taught.

Frank passed through traffic lights at a busy junction just 1.2 seconds after they turned red (SWNS)

“I pride myself on being a very good driver.

“I’m being treated like a criminal without having done anything wrong. I don’t think it’s just. If it was speeding and caught I would understand.

“If there was no other vehicles involved I would probably have put my hands up and admitted it.”

Frank plans to write to the court as he doesn’t believe he’ll make the February 14 hearing date.

He added: “I watch quite a lot of police interceptors. I’m always amazed how lenient they are after their crimes.

“They get maybe six points on their license. I just think well they could have killed people, they’re criminals, I’m not a criminal. It’s excessive.

“This is what happens when I let an ambulance through. I wanted to keep myself back where he goes into one lane. I took my eyes off the lights as they were on green.

“The camera is adjusted that as soon as the red light goes on the camera is activated.

“I couldn’t see the red light change as it was behind me. The car in front of me must have just gone through on orange.

“I still would do it now, let an emergency vehicle through.

“I had a clear license for nearing 20 years until just before covid when I got three points on my license due to new average speed check cameras.

“I’m going to write to the court reiterating the points and tell them that I’ve been unjustly treated.

“I’m not going to drive 60 miles there and back all to say what I can say in a letter.”