Parking in council permit bay

danlojo

This is my letter to the council to contest the fine :



Dear Sir/Madam

Ref: Penalty Charge notice ***** served ****2011 Vehicle Reg : *******

On ****** July I arrived at *****(town) in order to collect my prescription from Boots Pharmacy.

I parked on Priory Place in what I assumed was a disabled parking bay.

This is the same place I park every time I shop in ***(town) due to the closeness to the main stores as I am a disabled driver with a valid disability blue badge ( (number) - issued by **** (not the same council) County Council EXP ***)
.
This large parking bay runs along the front of the post office and Lloyds Bank. Disabled parking is marked clearly on the road in this area.

On my return to my car within 20 minutes of parking I was shocked to see a fine attached to the windscreen. My blue badge was displayed in the windscreen and I had set the clock to the correct time. It was not until I had opened the fine that I even realised that I was parked in a permit holders bay nor had I ever noticed that when I have parked in that exact same bay before on many occasions. I have also only recently moved to this area.

I then noticed a small sign 4” x 6” stating that this bay and the one behind were for permit holders only. It is also worthy of note that the car parked behind me did not have a permit in the window nor had a blue badge displayed.

I have never received a parking fine before and also the signing of these bays is not very clear being so small and high up on a post.

I have no problem in paying this fine if I was the kind of person who has no respect for specified parking areas, however, as this was a genuine mistake on my part I would be extremely grateful if this fine could be cancelled.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my case.


*****************************************************

I have received my reply which states I should re read my blue badge parking requirements. They state that the 6" x 4" sign is sufficient to be noted as a permit holders bay, and that I have 14 days to pay £35 or wait over the 14 days to receive a notice to owner (which I am) and I can appeal again to the parking adjudicator (a different one who first read the case). If I fail at that point I will have to pay £70.


Is it worth taking it further or taking it on the chin and paying £35.

And yes, I know I was parked illegally before some start pointing that out but I feel my case against it to be a fair one.

Fergie76

Post on pepipoo.

esmerobbo

To get an answer you would need to show the PCN both sides and pictures of the location or the streetview link! There could be a challenge on the PCN or the signs at the location. If you can post them up it would be better posting them on Pepipoo. http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showforum=30

The BB does not allow parking in bays that are designated for certain use, but it catches many out!

danlojo

Hi

Thanks for the quick replies

I know that the BB doesn't allow this but I genuinely never saw the tiny sign.

The Disabled bay clearly marked on the road is along 4 other bays but stops just short of these bays. Unless you were looking up at the post I doubt anyone who doesn't live there would know.

Coupon-mad

danlojo wrote: »

Hi

Thanks for the quick replies

I know that the BB doesn't allow this but I genuinely never saw the tiny sign.

The Disabled bay clearly marked on the road is along 4 other bays but stops just short of these bays. Unless you were looking up at the post I doubt anyone who doesn't live there would know.

Appeal again - and BTW an adjudicator is not just 'a different person than replied to you' it's an independent appeal system. Most people who decide to continue to appeal to adjudication WIN. But as you have found out the hard way, most Councils who get appeals decline the first time, because they can and because they want the money. I would NOT fold at this early stage!

It's an all or nothing gamble but with the odds in your favour. Even more so if you post a new topic on pepipoo and show them a pic of your PCN and a pic of the lines and signs in question. There are bound to be grounds for appeal, especially if the 'disabled' word appears across the bay.

Come back and let us know when pepipoo have helped you win.