How Does My Girlfriend Go About Challenging This Parking Ticket?

mr_fishbulb

My girlfriend uses a gym in Uxbridge without it's own car park, so she parks at a meter outside.

If she goes in the morning she gets there at 7, but the parking restrictions don't start until 8. As she is only staying there till 8.15 she puts in enough money to cover from 8.00 - 8.30.

Normally the machine keeps hold of the money until 8.00 when it starts counting down. Sometimes the machine will start counting down as soon as she puts the money in (at 7am), so then she has to put more in to make sure it goes up to 8.30. But a few mornings (and the one she received a ticket for) the machine will take the money at 7, then at 8 it will not do anything so it looks like no money has ever been paid. She's mentioned this to a traffic warden before but nothing seems to have been done about it.

She received a parking ticket one morning which she contested and the council wrote back saying she must till pay the charge and they rejected the claim saying no fault had been reported on the meter that day and becuase 'it was up to the owner to make sure the meter has enough money in to cover the stay'.

She then wrote back contesting it again and received a letter saying she has to wait for a 'Notice to the owner". So she called up and spoke to a man who said he would go out and check the meter, but then said he wouldn't go and check it at 7am because he doesn't start work that early.

It doesn't look like they are going to check the meter becuase they would have to use someone who starts work that early (which probably no one does for the council).

What's the best way for my girlfriend to contest this notice to owner?

Thanks.

vansboy

Check out http://www.appealnow.com

VB

mr_fishbulb

Simply register with us and for a one-off small fee we will help you challenge your fixed penalty parking ticket, quickly, easily and efficiently.

Our unique system costs from just £7.99 and will take you under 5 minutes.

I'd prefer not to pay for it.

Is there a website with free advice?

Wig

mr_fishbulb wrote:

What's the best way for my girlfriend to contest this notice to owner?

Thanks.

If you're sure of your ground hire a solicitor.

I'm not sure you're allowed to park before a metered time and feed the meter in advance so it starts churning at 8am. The response you got from the council suggests that it is acceptable.

Why don't you find out if they are right that a faulty meter is not their problem until it has been reported to them, sounds unfair to me that a meter can be faulty and the person who parks and gets a ticket is expected to pay the fine just because the faaulty meter has not been reported.

My suggestion solicitor.

mr_fishbulb

Thanks for the advice Wig

tonys_3

If your g/f has had a notice of rejection from the council, they should have
included a form that allows a further appeal to the Parking and Traffic Adjudicator. The appeal is heard by an independent lawyer.

http://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/Home/EnvironmentandTransport/Parking/Fines/parappealing.htm