Road change result in fine but only know of it from collection agency

ohwhatatodo

Hi everyone

We just received an email from a collection agency for two driving infringements that happened on one day, after the local authority changed a section of the road to buses and taxis only.

We never received the PCN after this happened and the collection agency email was the first we heard of this.

It is a route we used to drive everyday twice a day and at the time the signs weren't clear that it was buses/taxis only.

A lot of people were caught out and as soon as we realised we stopped using the route.

So we now have an email saying we owe £754.00 for these infringements. The two charges were at £200 each on the same day, so a total of £400 for the fine itself.

Apparently the council sent the original notices to our old address. My husband updated the dvla site with some additional details earlier this year and that seems to have triggered the email.

We have been at our current address for 3 years and the dvla tax reminders have been received at this address.

So, is there anything we can do to
1) appeal the charges in the first place...? I think the infringement was about 15months ago.
2) appeal based on the fact that they didn't contact us at the correct address in the first place so the charges kept being added to?
3) appeal the hefty charges of £354.00?

I realise that we were in the wrong to drive through that section of the road but at the time the road change sort of appeared overnight with no warning and it felt more like a chicane to control traffic speed rather than a restriction.

We will of course pay this if we have to, but just wondering if there is anything we can do to reduce the amount?

Many thanks in advance,

DoaM

Take this to Pepipoo - they'll be able to help you through this.

Don't try to register there with a Hotmail address.

Strider590

Smells fishy, hope you manage to sort it out.

ohwhatatodo

thanks Doam and Strider for your replies.

It's really upsetting and feels very unfair. Will look at the Pepipoo site.

Fingers crossed.

Car_54

ohwhatatodo wrote: »

So, is there anything we can do to
1) appeal the charges in the first place...? I think the infringement was about 15months ago.
2) appeal based on the fact that they didn't contact us at the correct address in the first place so the charges kept being added to?
3) appeal the hefty charges of £354.00?

1. Probably not, unless you can prove that the signs were deficient.

2. At the bottom of Page 2 of your V5C you will find a DOCREF with the date that the change of address was made. If that was before the offence, then the council have indeed used the wrong offence, and you've a good case to have the £354 waived. Otherwise, they've used the correct address ad you've no case.

3. See 2.

Marvel1

ohwhatatodo wrote: »

Hi everyone

We just received an email from a collection agency for two driving infringements that happened on one day, after the local authority changed a section of the road to buses and taxis only.

We never received the PCN after this happened and the collection agency email was the first we heard of this.

How did they get your email address? Sounds like a scam.

debtdebt

Did the offence occur before you effected the change of address? If it did, you have nobody else to blame other than yourself. Just think, it could have been worse and you could have had points on your licence instead of a fine.

GunJack

Have you contacted the council about this?? Best see if they have any record of this alleged offence??

System

Collection agencies don't email you, they write to you. Emailing the address iluvboobies1969@hotmail.com that you've never given anyone in officialdom is neither guaranteed to be the person they're supposed to be contacting nor is it likely to be deemed as valid delivery of a notification. Smells of a scam. Unless you've received something by post ignore it.