Driver warning: Motorists told they face £100 fine for doing the right thing - 'Absolutely reprehensible!'

Motorists have been warned that they could face an £100 fine for “doing the right thing” after a driver was punished for breaching an obscure rule.

Frank Wallington from Walsall saw an ambulance with blue flashing lights approaching after he was driving home from his cousin’s funeral.

The 76-year-old pulled over to let the ambulance pass as he drove near to a traffic light junction which merged two lanes.

Mr Wallington slowed down to ensure the ambulance could pass before noticing a white car driving closely behind the emergency service vehicle.

Frank Wallington slowed down when he saw the ambulance behind him
Liam McBurney

After letting the car go ahead, he passed through the traffic lights just 1.2 seconds after the light turned red.

He was then contacted by Nottinghamshire Police a month later who told him of his traffic offence along with an £100 fine and three penalty points.

Mr Wallington told the Sun: "It's frustrating because I'm an advanced driver and I've always had a completely clean license.

“I actually feel I could have carried on and driven straight through the traffic lights without any problem, 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.

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

When asked about the traffic lights, he explained: "They were green as I approached, I was in the left hand lane but I slowed down.

Drivers can be fined £100 for running a red light
Ben Birchall

"I turned my indicator on to indicate to the ambulance driver that I was slowing down and allowing him to overtake.

"Even if that white car hadn't been behind the ambulance, which I couldn't see as they were right behind the ambulance, the lights were on green, and if I had been able to pull right behind the ambulance I would have still gone behind the lights on green.”

He has since been told that he must appear at Nottingham Magistrate’s Court in February if he wants to dispute the punishment.