Electric Parking Bay or NOT an Electric Parking Bay?

milleniumaire

Just received a PCN for parking in a car park that I use most days.




As you can see it is a bay next to the EV charging bays, or at least that's what I thought.  You can just see the "ONLY" road markings, which do include the bay I'm parked in.  However, it looks different from the rear of the car:



As you can see there is NO charging point for that last car parking spot and this is why I parked in that bay, also because it is next to the EV charging bays, which rarely get used.

The charging point nearest my bay provides a charging point for the two bays next to the one I have parked in.  So, if all 3 bays were used by EV's, only 2 of the EV's would be able to charge.  Does this mean the 3rd EV (the one parked in the end bay like my car) would be fined for parking in an EV charging bay, but not charging?

Is the bay I'm parked in an EV charging bay or not?  The faded white lines on the road suggest it is, but the fact there isn't a charging point for that bay, suggests it isn't!

Maybe when Leeds City Council removed the old charging point, they should have also repainted the road signage?

What are your thoughts?

Gr1pr

Council or private car park. ?

If its council, post your query over on the ftla parking forum in the correct section, after reading the posting requirements over there. So the Free Traffic and Legal Advice forum 

IMHO, it cannot be an electric charging bay if there is no charger, especially if there are no signs designating it as one , so I do agree with those observations, as opposed to the contrary road markings 

DE_612183

What do the details on the PCN say - wording wise?

If it specifically mentions EV then, I'd appeal on that basis - on this site we generally specialise in Private Parking - there is another site that specialises in councils etc.

DE_612183

https://www.ftla.uk/index.php?PHPSESSID=i7vgnubat5cusj521vef7hmang

Keep_pedalling

Those are double charge points so need 4 spaces. The orange MG4 is parked in the first one and you parked next to the last space. For some odd (and totally pointless reason the EV only road marking in front of the bays has been extended to a 5th bay where you have parked. 

milleniumaire

Thanks for your comments.  Sorry, it is a Council car park and Leeds City Council have issued the PCN.  I see from the evidence photos online that the enforcer only took photos of the front of the car i.e. the road markings and didn't bother taking photos from the rear, which is the only way to determine there isn't a charger for the bay I parked in.

The PCN states: "71 Parked in an electric vehicles charging place during restricted hours without charging".

When these EV charging bays were first installed, there was a different type of charger for this particular bay, but that was removed and the road markings have not been adjusted.  I've parked there many times before, as have many other cars, but haven't been fined.  I guess LCC are trying to increase their income.

The lack of a charger makes it a very lucrative parking bay for the council, given they can fine any vehicle for parking there; diesel/petrol as it is a bay for EV's and EV's because they aren't charging while parked in an EV charging bay!

I'm pretty sure Leeds City Council know EXACTLY what they are doing, as does the parking enforcer that ticketed our car.

Interestingly a woman approached us while I was taking the photos and explained she had also been fined for parking in that same bay.  She had an EV!  However, she chose to pay the fine because she wasn't charging her car, but I have challenged it on the grounds that the road signage is incorrect and needs to be changed.

Can't imagine I'll get anywhere as councils pretty much do what ever they want (except repair pot holes!).

Keep_pedalling

I think this is more cockup than deliberate, post on the FTLA forum for advice on the wording of your appeal.

https://www.ftla.uk/

milleniumaire

Update: I challenged this PCN and Leeds City Council cancelled it "on this occasion".

Coupon-mad

milleniumaire said:

Update: I challenged this PCN and Leeds City Council cancelled it "on this occasion".

They must be making money from that bay.