Parking in Manchester - Do I have a case?

gazoakley

Penalty charge notification here:

http://i25.tinypic.com/ezfyqe.jpg

In the evening on Friday 10th July I parked on Naples Street after having passed the sign on Strand Street:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Sharp+St&daddr=Naples+St&hl=en&geocode=FX8rMAMdcubd_w%3BFScsMAMdk-bd_w&mra=ls&sll=53.488541,-2.234649&sspn=0.000393,0.001206&ie=UTF8&ll=53.488595,-2.23481&spn=0.000393,0.001206&t=h&z=20

The signage on Strand Street is in front of a single yellow line and displays that on Saturday parking restrictions are in force from 8:00 till 12:30 - 2 hours are allowed with no return in an hour:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Sharp+St&daddr=Naples+St&hl=en&geocode=FX8rMAMdcubd_w%3BFScsMAMdk-bd_w&mra=ls&sll=53.488541,-2.234649&sspn=0.000393,0.001206&ie=UTF8&t=h&layer=c&cbll=53.488366,-2.234581&panoid=H1AoPhrgTsDA8jMsqOEs8Q&cbp=12,35.26,,1,9.55&ll=53.488366,-2.234581&spn=0,359.998794&z=20

I continued round the corner and parked at the end point in the previous map. After seeing the sign in front of a single yellow I believed that restrictions applied to the single yellow line, and that I could park until 10am without violating parking rules. Another sign with the same wording is displayed on Naples Street:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Sharp+St&daddr=Naples+St&hl=en&geocode=FX8rMAMdcubd_w%3BFScsMAMdk-bd_w&mra=ls&sll=53.488541,-2.234649&sspn=0.000393,0.001206&ie=UTF8&t=h&layer=c&cbll=53.488778,-2.234511&panoid=H1AoPhrgTsDA8jMsqOEs8Q&cbp=12,293.48,,2,1.93&ll=53.488715,-2.234656&spn=0,359.998794&z=20

That sign is just before the very edge of the parking bays which were difficult to see at night (a car had parked slightly over the edge of the bay and hidden the road markings). When I parked it looked as if the restrictions here also applied to the single yellow lines - no mention of parking bays is made.

The next morning I came down at 10am to depart from Manchester only to find the attached ticket. I feel either:

The signage is poor since it neither indicates it only applies to marked bays and it is also shown in front of single lines rather than bays - in this case I think I should have grounds for appeal for not maintaining the signs correctly.

Or:

The signage is accurate and does apply to the single yellows - I therefore should have been able to park till 10am so the ticket is incorrect.

Reckon I have a case? . Or have I just blatantly got it wrong?

DaveF327

I'm afraid you've blatantly got it wrong.

The Highway Code clearly states that a yellow line is a waiting restriction, not a parking facility.

The official guidance is on page 2 of this document: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_069860?IdcService=GET_FILE&dID=95931&Rendition=Web

So any sign with the large blue P (with its limitations) can only apply to the bays marked by broken white lines, not the yellow lines as you assumed. Looking at the streetview version of the location in question: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=53.488634,-2.234741&spn=0,359.997589&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=53.488712,-2.234663&panoid=HW4kLSXYANa6cVexK0LQRQ&cbp=13,34.83,,1,12.43 the P signs are indeed at the edges of the marked bay so look clear enough to me.

I actually know the area in question and to the best of my recollection, the single line restrictions there operate from Monday to Saturday 8.30am to 6.30pm so you parked legally on Friday night but you should have got up earlier Saturday morning and moved your car (ideally into the white bay) before 8.30am to give you an extra 2 hours.

Sorry