Parking Ticket - very broken yellow line

redseven

Help required,

I got a parking ticket today, the single yellow line was on cobbles, severely warned down with lots of large gaps. I have parked in this place for 2 years, I never really considered it a yellow line. I took some photos of my car and the condition of the line. What is the best approach, should I pay 'in dispute' (£30 within 14 days) or write to them with photos and hope for a reply (risking £60 after 14 days)?

Somebody once told me that the yellow line couldn't have a gap of more than 10 cm, this yellow has gaps of more like 40cm! Does anyone know whether this is true, I also heard there was a website about this but I can't find it, any ideas?

Any suggestions gladly appreciated, Cheers

Phil_rich

this site might be a help to you????

http://www.ticketbusters.co.uk/

daveboy

AFAIK the line has to be continuous (totally unbroken) and must have a bar where it starts and where it finishes.

If there is a break in it, or if there is a bar missing at the beginning or end, then the line has no meaning at all in law.

I would challenge this - you have done exactly the right thing in taking pictures. You certainly sound sensible, just make sure you have copies of the photos before you send them. If they were taken on a digital camera this won't be a problem, but if they are on a film camera get a copy done as in cases like this they may try to make out they've lost what you sent them.

derrick

Take another picture with a current newspaper in the picture to prove the day, then they can`t paint in the lines and say they where full,,and keep the newspaper

shrek101

Yes Daveboy is right.

Al_Mac

shrek101 wrote:

Yes Daveboy is right.

You sure, not just another urban myth, like street lights having to be a certain distance apart.

I'm not saying don't challenge it, but be prepared for a fight.

:beer:

shrek101

I saw it a few years ago now when an old chap living in a market town parked on a broken yellow line and eventually got off with it having checked up on the rules.

Also my local council got a damning report on parking in our town by auditors and hence a few weeks later they went around the town tighting up on the rules including yellow lines. Just outside my house there is yellow lines and they put in a new yellow bar across it at the start. Of course just outside my house also there is a drain and yellow line is missing so I can still technical get off, not that I would park there much as the idiots who come down my street couldn't give a flying !!!!!! about us residents.

redseven

Thanks all round!!!

Cheers everyone, I'll let you know how I get on.

dchurch24

Recently my partner parked in a disabled parking space by accident - the painted wheelchair in the road was partially covered in snow.
When she returned to the car, it, of course, had a ticket.
The odd thing was, that on the back of the ticket it had the words (or something like them):
'if you pay the fine within 7 days it'll be 30 quid, or after 7 days it'll be 60.
If you wish to contend the isssuing of this ticket, you can do so in writing, but not until 14 days has passed'
Anyway, I wrote them a letter saying that the road had snow on it and the sign was obscured, and I enclosed a cheque, so that they couldn't charge me more than 30 quid if (when) they decided that my contesting has been unsuccessfull, but urged them to sent it back as it was, IMO, unfairly issued. I also threatened to write to my MP.
The cheque was sent back with an apology within a week.

NigeWick

redseven wrote:

I took some photos of my car and the condition of the line. What is the best approach, should I pay 'in dispute' (£30 within 14 days) or write to them with photos and hope for a reply (risking £60 after 14 days)?

If you are serious, write to them asking to go to Court, mentioning the very poor state of the lines. The address to write to should be on the fixed penalty notice. You need to do it straight away, and (if you're local) delivering it by hand would ensure that you know they've got it. As has been suggested, obtain some dating evidence for the poor state of the lines. If possible get an independent witness or two to look at them too. Write down the facts now, dating your notes, so that you can refresh your memory in the courtroom. You will also need to know how far the written signs are from where you parked and what sort of condition they are in. If they are missing, you could be on to a winner. If you parked underneath one and it is in good order you will likely be on a sticky wicket. If you have a good case, they may just write back and say they are dropping it.

Nigel.

MarkyMarkD

Al_Mac wrote:

You sure, not just another urban myth, like street lights having to be a certain distance apart.

I'm not saying don't challenge it, but be prepared for a fight.

:beer:

I don't think there IS an urban myth about street light separation. But there is a non-myth (i.e. the law) which says that the speed limit is 30mph if the street lights are all within a certain distance of each other, unless there are speed limit signs which say otherwise.