'Parking Fines. You can reclaim them...' blog discussion

The_Only_Golden_Boy

:jWell done Martin and all of the other successful appealers (is that a word? doesn't matter I know what I mean).

I recently received a PCN for parking across a dropped kerb (Code27) in Dormers Wells Lane, Southall, Middlesex. This was installed many years ago to provide access to a large house demolished over 20 years ago and replaced by a block of flats. Vehicular access to the grounds of the flats is now prevented by a permanent fence, there is no dropped kerb the other side of the road or a cycle track on the pavement. So it does not comply with the legislation in The Traffic Management Act 2004 (page55 section 86 (a) (i,ii,iii) under which the ticket was issued. I sent off my informal appeal and was not surprised that it was turned down. I then sent off my formal appeal, a three page letter quoting various facts including details of a successful appeal to PATAS for a another disused dropped kerb in the same borough (Ealing) this was accepted and the PCN cancelled, again "on this occasion" as if they were doing me a favour totally ignoring the fact that the ticket was invalid in the first place. I am pleased but would have liked the opportunity to appeal to PATAS and be given the chance to claim some costs from Ealing Parking Services to cover my time (and at 70 years of age time is very precious). I used the letter templates downloaded from this site received a lot of help and information from a web site called pepipoo just search on this name. This included the link to download a copy of the successful appeal. I also downloaded a copy of The Traffic Management Act 2004 and a copy of The Joint Report of the Parking Adjudicators for England and Wales 2009/10 this had a section that referred to dropped kerbs that had become redundant. I also used Google Earth to get a good photo of the dropped kerb and surrounding area.

The moral of my story is don’t pay up straight away research the legislation check the PCN carefully, Lets face facts most of the CEO’s do not have English as their mother tongue so it is likely that their understanding of the law will be minimal their training probably relies more on pictures than words, its not the job that most of us would wish to do out in all weathers risking the chance of serious assault from irate motorist. I fell sorry for them but not when they ticket my car. The ones that I detest are the devious Parking Managers that turn down the informal appeals in the expectation that you will roll over and pay up.

I am aware that there are a number of people that live in the block of flats that have received PCN's for the same alleged offence, some have made the informal appeal and then given up and payed the reduced amount, is it possible that they can reclaim there money using my successful appeal. I would love to see the council having to refund the fines.:rotfl:

jdwrmw

I have recently recieved a parking ticket. I was parked in a 'loading bay' for less than 5 minutes whilst I ran into the computer shop and dropped off my laptop. On coming out of the shop there were two Parking Attendants, one of which was in the process of printing off the ticket. The other indicated to her that I was there and proceeded to give it to me, I said I wasn't taking it as I was only in the shop less than 5 minutes. I was then threatened that, if I didn't take it, it would be sent out to me and the fine would then be 100 pounds. I very reluctantly took it and said I would report them as I was only in the shop 5 minutes and it was a loading bay. They said it was a loading bay for heavy items and not for dropping off your computer at the shop.

Is this true and are they allowed to do this? Please help?

JimmyTheWig

Probably best to start your own thread, jdwrmw, but I'd appeal if I were you.
I don't believe that there is anything that says a loading bay is only for heavy items. Therefore taking your computer into the shop is, as far as I am concerned, loading. Therefore you were allowed to park there.

Darcymacaw

Hi, your experience is useful as I am having Problems with a PCN and wonder if I should also make a formal appeal

In May we travelled from our home in Devon to London as the Met police phoned to tell us our late sons house had been vandalised, windows broken etc. police advised us to put up blinds so house will looked occupied.
blinds we required were not in stock at nearest Argos, but Argos located blinds at another branch in Atlantic road, Lambeth and reserved them for us for collection, said they would be ready for instant collection and to pay for them at Lambeth.

We parked in a loading bay opposite Argos in Atlantic Road on 31.05.2012, due to Argos's system it took a little longer than we expected to process reservation paperwork and get our goods but we were all done and loaded within about 12 minutes.

Back home in Devon I received a PCN for contravention code 25, as my car had been filmed on cctv for 6 minutes, 14.22 to 14.28 during which time we were not seen loading.

I sent an informal appeal, explaining we had been parked to load several heavy, unwieldy and bulky wooden window blinds and as evidence included my payment receipt timed at 14.27,clearly detailing the items and showing they had been reserved.
I thought this would satisfy and the matter would be dropped but Lambeth now say I was illegally parked as I was "shopping" not loading.

I feel very angry, I was not shopping, I had "shopped" for the goods elsewhere, earlier and was simply picking up the pre ordered, reserved for instant collection, goods, we are not young people my husband is 75 with mobility problems and there were many blinds, 7 in total, also heavy and difficult to carry.

Should I appeal or just pay up? thoughts please.
Any suggestions please.

Stephen_Leak

The above post is already being dealt with on the Parking Fines, Tickets & Parking board.

alepulp

This seems unfair to me and not just because I have just been caught. If the rest of the legislation demands regular signage, surely this should apply to these zones too?

I have been used to parking free on single lines in central Manchester on Sundays to go to China Town. I return to find a ticket on my car - change was implemented in 2011 and I haven't been informed.

Interestingly, I am not arguing that I wasn't parked there, but the response to my appeal to them was that they could provide images from their website. This concerned me as I actually took pictures of the area and sent it in with my appeal...

Surely this must be unjust under not reading my appeal properly and insufficient signage?

Sufficient

I parked my car on 19 Apr 12 at the Chippenham railway station and I paid £6.50 by credit card on the telephone. The parking company (APCOA) nevertheless issued a parking ticket and would not accept that I had paid, despite my phone call and letter to them on the day I parked. I gave them my bank's letter confirming that my payment showed on my statement. And my Sky telephone statement showing the call I had made on the day. I then received all manner of threatening letters from APCOA and from their debt collectors Roxbourghe. Nasty, red, threateningly formatted letters. APCOA and Roxbourghe pointed at one another in terms of the responsibility to withdraw the parking ticket. I had warned them, in my first letter, that if I had to write to them repeatedly to tell them the same facts over and over again my letter fee would be £30 each time. There were four such letters, all Registered letters. They ignored my four invoices. I took them, APCOA, to court using the Money Claim on-line system. They've just (21 Dec 12) paid me £145 (which includes a £25 court fee). I don't like bullies and I don't like to be threatened. My message is clear: if something's wrong, clearly wrong, tell the company etc that your letter fee is £30 each time you have to write to them. Send them an invoice each time after your first letter. If these invoices are ignored use Money Claim Online. It takes a bit of time, but it's a good way for a consumer to fight back.

CKhalvashi

alanino64 wrote: »

Arrived at a small pay n display car park nr Croydon, and just checked the meter which read "Sundays and Bank Holidays are free". Thinking this was ok, as it was Good Friday, went about my business of looking at all the empty stores on the hight street.
Anyway, upon my return I found that I had received a parking ticket! Well not only me, but most of the cars in the car park!!
I phoned the local council, and ....eventually.... :mad: I was told that Good Friday is not a Bank Holiday and that it was a 'national holiday' / 'holy day'.

Anyway, thought I would pass this on - did anyone else get caught out?

I've been done on this one, as Good Friday and the Saturday were 'bank holidays', but Easter Monday wasn't. I was actually unloading at the time, but that's a different story.

I paid it, as I'm a Cllr in the area, and if I'd have got off that one on any technicality (especially as OH is the Cllr with direct responsibility for parking for the same council), I'd have been accused of being in bed with them (the council, not OH)

I should have contested it, and probably would have won on the unloading, but didn't bother for this exact reason, especially as I didn't want to be on the front page of the paper!

CK

gabm1956

I have rec'd a fine from G24 for parking in a disabled bay, I have a blue badge and simply forgot to display it, along with other conditions I suffer from fibromyalgia of which one of the symptoms is poor concentration and memory loss, I have read a lot about people like G24 trying it on but am too afraid to ignore it but I cannot afford to pay the £100 fine I am worried sick, can anyone advise me what to do, can they impose this fine? They say they will send me to debtors if I do not pay, it was incidentally on a retail park, which is I assume classed as private parking? Please can anyone give me any correct factual advice.

Browntoa

go here

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=163

on the forum

then click



and start a thread

there are many experienced people over there who can help

you wont need to pay the "penalty charge"