PCN Stress, Please Please Help Me

FabSascha

I’m really anxious for advice and would greatly appreciate any anyone can offer me. I am a disabled person living in Barnet and I drive and park outside my home. The street I live on has restricted parking between the hours of 2-3pm Monday to Friday. It’s a small street with a dead end and isn’t particularly busy. I am in regular receipt of PCNs because I park with two wheels on the kerb as does everyone else in the street because it’s very narrow and cars would not be able to get through – ironically, THEN we’d be obstructing traffic. Everyone else in the street either works or is able enough to move their car between 2-3 to avoid a ticket, but due to my disability I am not always able to go out and this is usually when I get a ticket.

This is a bit of a long story but I want to make sure all the details are available just in case anyone thinks of anything that may be of help (thanks in advance if you do).

As mentioned, I park with two wheels on the kerb. Just a few feet away from where I park there are parking bays that are half on the pavement so obviously Barnet Council has acknowledged that on this particular stretch of road, parking on the kerb is necessary. The argument they make in their rejection notices is that it is totally illegal to park with any wheels on the kerb as prams and wheelchairs need to pass. Of course I understand this, which is why I never park on the other side of the road so any wheelchair users and prams can pass freely without endangering themselves. The kerb that I park on is very narrow and is very rarely used as a walkway.

I have argued this point constantly but to no success. Many of the tickets have got to bailiff stage and I have ended up having to pay the costs as I have felt constantly harassed. The experience of a bailiff calling is very intimidating for a disabled, single female like myself. Barnet will not listen to me and I see this happening again and again and I am getting so frustrated and desperate for help.

Yes I could find somewhere else to park but parking in my area is limited so I would have to park far away which would create a real struggle for me to get home. Plus I find it appalling that I would have to struggle to get home so that the rest of my able bodied neighbours can park directly outside of their home. I have considered applying for a disabled bay, but there are people on my street who possess a disabled badge, and so I believe this would not be a solution to my problem.

I have gone to CAB for advice and called all solicitors but nobody is willing to help me. I cannot believe that this is something that I just have to accept and get on with so please, anyone who can offer me any advice, or even point me the right direction would be so greatly appreciated. I feel victimised and harassed.

Thanks so much for reading and I hope I haven’t bored you!

Fourcandles_3

Get in touch with your local DIAL office. I'll try and find the link. I don't know what they can do, but they are your best bet.

Good luck.

Fourcandles_3

found it:

http://www.dialuk.info/

Savvy_Sue

I'm not sure why a disabled bay wouldn't help? I realise that other neighbours would also be entitled to park in it (although even if I was entitled to, I wouldn't park in a disabled bay outside someone else's house!) but it would at least partly resolve your problem ...

keelyjrs

Hi, can you get together with the other disabled residents and all apply for a space each? That way there will be enough and you should get to park outside your home.

You could consider writing to your local MP and highlighting the shortfall in services for the disabled, DIAL are very helpful.

Depending on what your disability is you may well have a condition specific support group near you which I would highly recommend you look up. Feel free to PM me on disability issues, I'm disabled too and have had many a fight for my rights!!

Best wishes
Keely