Council PCN please help. Signage covered by bushes.

tidegu

To make long story short, I parked on a residents only bay (830 am to 6 pm) at night, and received a ticket next morning around 1050 am.

The reason I parked there was I did not see a signage so I assumed it was a free parking space. I know it was my careless that I should not simply assume no signage as other bays are clearly residents only or max 2 hours, but after I got the ticket, I carefully looked around again found the signage just beside the bay but covered by the bush. Imagine the lightening condition at 1am, I could hardly see it.

I have photo evidence of the signage is blocked, so I challenged twice against this ticket, first time was at the council parking office, in filling up a form. Unfortunately they did not allow me to attach evidence as I did not print it out and they could not give me a email address that I can send the photos to. Instead, they said they have their own evidence and does not need mine. The first challenge was rejected, and they attached a photo taken in front of my car, I have to say from that perspective the signage was clear, especially when in day time. I challenged the second time via online form, sent evidence photos, and they rejected again with same reason - they insist the signage was clear.

I have to admit if it was day time I could be able to see it, or if I walked to the front of the car I may found it at the time I parked. However, it was in the night and I just walked towards the rear of my car, hence I had no chance to read the signage.

I wonder if it is council's responsibility to make all signage clear to everyone in any lightening condition, or the driver's to dig out any covered signage by looking around really careful?

Here are evidence photos:


This image shows the view inside the car, which is what I can see throughout the window, this clearly shows the signage is invisible. Not only the signage, but also the post - without seeing a post, how could I expect there is a signage floating above the ground?


The second image shows that even if I stand out the car, only partial of the signage could been hardly seen out from the bushes, which unless I know there is a signage and tries to find it carefully, I would not possible to notice this signage. Further to the first image, I did not see a post, and I could not expect there is a signage and this is the main reason that I missed it. Bear in mind it was in the night and vision was very poor.

They are going to send out NTO in the next few days if I don't pay now (£35), or I have to face to full charge £70 or judgement.

Any suggestions? Should I just pay £35 or it could be cancelled?

fisherjim

AS this is a council ticket you need to post on Pepipoo they are the experts on these and have a good success rate in fighting them.

tidegu

fisherjim wrote: »

AS this is a council ticket you need to post on Pepipoo they are the experts on these and have a good success rate in fighting them.

Thanks. I actually did on both. Hope there are more experts can help

Fruitcake

As above, MSE concentrates on private parking tickets whereas pepipoo are experts in the field of council tickets.


Whilst people here will try to help you, they tend not to have the detailed knowledge you really need when dealing with a council ticket, hence the suggestion to use pepipoo as your prime source of help.