Parking fine for not displaying clock with blue badge

melroccan

My husband parked in a disabled bay, he has a Motability car and put his blue badge up but thought the clock wasn't needed as he was only going to be an hour in a 4-hour Disabled space. He got a ticket, appealed and was told it was because he didn't have the clock showing the time he arrived. As it was a 4-hour space and he only parked less than an hour is it worth appealing again? He hasn't had the badge long and got confused over when the clock is needed, thought it was only for non-disabled spaces.

simpywimpy

I think he has just been confused as a new user and the ticket will stand however, some authorities let you off the first time if you explain so always worth querying it.

pogofish

First thing, who issued this ticket and who does it say to pay to?

melroccan

pogofish wrote: »

First thing, who issued this ticket and who does it say to pay to?

Reading borough Council. There is a photo of the car and you can see something on the dashboard but it isn't close enough to see what it is.

Coupon-mad

Get advice from pepipoo and appeal it further, I would. Councils almost always reject the first challenge. Yes, I know that mean waving goodbye to the discount bribe - but that's how the system works. Think of any Council PCN as being for the full amount, ignore any discount (bargain, not!) and always appeal them all the way. Almost every poster who posts on pepipoo wins in the end so the odds are in your favour:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showforum=30

I am wondering if the Traffic Order for that place actually says Blue Badge and clock needed. You should be able to find a link to the Traffic Orders on the Council website, or email them for the applicable Order and ask where it says that a Clock and a Badge must be displayed there.

Buzby

It seems a little perverse to believe you need a clock only if you plan to spend more than the 4 hr limit! Since it is to prevent over staying, a clock would be required for all parking as failure to display indicates abuse of the scheme.

If the parking order and signage requires a clock to be used - I'd take the discount and pay up. They were right, and ensuring spaces were not abused.

27col

If you did not have a clock on the dashboard, who would know when the car had been parked. It could have been there for hours. Absolutely ridiculous to think that you did not need to put up a clock.

fed_up_and_stressed

Just to let you know from my mistake ... I once got a parking ticket for having my badge (and clock) upside down even though it could be clearly read and was legible so watch out !

Guys_Dad

I can see no difference between this case and any able-bodied motorist purchasing a scratch-off parking ticket and not scratching off either the date or time.

If your husband's appeal was allowed, then so should anyone who didn't scratch off the correct boxes in a normal scratch-off parking card.

Coupon-mad

27col wrote: »

If you did not have a clock on the dashboard, who would know when the car had been parked. It could have been there for hours. Absolutely ridiculous to think that you did not need to put up a clock.

Not really.

I compared the situation to those 1 hour free parking bays you get on street. No permit or ticket needed and it's up to a passing CEO to record the wheel valve positions and time when first observed, then do the same again just over a hour later. Can't see why this is any different than that but much would depend upon the wording of the Order as regards that particular bay.

So I feel the OP should consider appealing all the way to adjudication and the first priority should be to get a look at the relevant pages in the Traffic Order.

melroccan

Coupon-mad wrote: »

Not really.

I compared the situation to those 1 hour free parking bays you get on street. No permit or ticket needed and it's up to a passing CEO to record the wheel valve positions and time when first observed, then do the same again just over a hour later. Can't see why this is any different than that but much would depend upon the wording of the Order as regards that particular bay.

So I feel the OP should consider appealing all the way to adjudication and the first priority should be to get a look at the relevant pages in the Traffic Order.

Yes, the disabled parking spaces are next to normal 2-hour ones and as far as I know able-bodied people do not have to put up a clock it is checked by parking wardens.