Parking ticket advise needed please.

MarkyMarkD

But this isn't a public road, it's a private car park.

They don't have to use statutory highway code type signs.

They can use any signs they like as long as they make sense.

The OP makes it sound pretty obviously like his OH parked there without looking at the signage and is now looking for a way to weasel out of a justified parking ticket. IMHO.

tomstickland

They can use any signs they like as long as they make sense.

Looking at the number of interpretations on here, it "doesn't make sense".
The OP said the their OH did look at the sign and interpreted it in the same way that I would. ie: restrictions Mon - Fri.

A clear sign would say "restricted to 20 mins Mon - Fri, drop off only at other times."

MarkyMarkD

I'm being devil's advocate. I agree that the signage isn't particularly clear. But equally well it's pretty obvious the OP's OH is guilty and just trying to avoid paying a valid charge.

tomstickland

Guilty of what? They've acknowledged that they've received a ticket, but don't understand why since the sign suggests that they can park there on Saturday. Hence they are trying to dispute the tick.

peter999

Councils have got away with incorrect Lines & Signs for years.

The golden rule is the more trouble you cause, the more likely they will cancel the ticket.

1st appeal
2nd appeal
Appeal to traffic appeals service.

If it goes to traffic appeals service, more than likely ticket will be cancelled just before final appeal as council sees sense & decides not to contest.

peter999

anewman

Also no one has pointed out yet that the ticket refers to the 20 minute limit, which the sign states is only enforced monday to friday. If the area was restricted on saturday and sunday, the ticket would have mentioned that rather than 20 minutes. The ticket issuer obviously didn't know what day of the week it was.

jblack_2

MarkyMarkD wrote: »

But this isn't a public road, it's a private car park.

They don't have to use statutory highway code type signs.

They can use any signs they like as long as they make sense.

The OP makes it sound pretty obviously like his OH parked there without looking at the signage and is now looking for a way to weasel out of a justified parking ticket. IMHO.

Thanks for the input.

As far as I'm aware if the car park is patrolled by the council then it is not private surely, if it was then a private company (NCP etc) would be dishing out the tickets.

The sign doesn't make sense and as this thread has proved it can be interpreted in different ways.

My wife has parked there before, having read the sign. We aren't trying to find a way to 'weasel' our way out of it. It's only £30 but I would feel the same if it were £1 or £100.

It strikes me as another way for the government to screw us over. They beg people to use public transport and then don't provide the means to do so.

J

anewman

jblack wrote: »

It strikes me as another way for the government to screw us over. They beg people to use public transport and then don't provide the means to do so.

They probably expect you to catch the bus/walkto the train station. Wakefield Westgate charges £10 for parking. So all those people in Wakefield who choose the comfort of going to the train station in a car to go to work for the day in Leeds by train, and avoid the traffic and parking costs involved with going to Leeds, have to pay £10 for parking. £50 a week monday to friday.

I would guess the car wasn't used for the entire journey as the train ticket cost was less than/easier than paying to park at the destination.

MarkyMarkD

jblack wrote: »

Thanks for the input.

As far as I'm aware if the car park is patrolled by the council then it is not private surely, if it was then a private company (NCP etc) would be dishing out the tickets.

The sign doesn't make sense and as this thread has proved it can be interpreted in different ways.

My wife has parked there before, having read the sign. We aren't trying to find a way to 'weasel' our way out of it. It's only £30 but I would feel the same if it were £1 or £100.

It strikes me as another way for the government to screw us over. They beg people to use public transport and then don't provide the means to do so.

J

This is the first time that "the council" has been mentioned in this thread and hence I assumed this was a rail company owned car park not a council-run one or a road.

I mis-read your "has used before" as "has not used before" - d'oh me! Sorry.

But you said the car park was "busy/near full" but your OH chose to park in a space which is surely intended to be for drop-off/pick-up.

Wig

MarkyMarkD wrote: »

But this isn't a public road, it's a private car park.

They don't have to use statutory highway code type signs.

They can use any signs they like as long as they make sense.

And you agree that this one does not make sense (if they intend to prosecute for drivers parking there outside of the Mon-Fri)

you said "I'm being devil's advocate. I agree that the signage isn't particularly clear. But equally well it's pretty obvious the OP's OH is guilty and just trying to avoid paying a valid charge."

If it is not particularly clear, and has led to the majority on this board thinking it means what it says - that parking outside Mon-Fri is unrestricted. Then it is not enforceable, whether it be private or public highway.

"But equally well it's pretty obvious the OP's OH is guilty and just trying to avoid paying a valid charge."

What the heck does this mean? Guilty of what? Guilty of parking in an unresticted parking bay? "A valid charge" you just admitted it was not valid in a roundabout way.

The OP makes it sound pretty obviously like his OH parked there without looking at the signage and is now looking for a way to weasel out of a justified parking ticket. IMHO.

I'm sure the OP would have looked at the signs realised it was Sat or Sun and assumed it was unrestricted. Having parked there before under the same impression and recieved no tickets.