Council parking ticket

[revolting peasant]

My wife got a parking ticket a couple of weeks ago in a council car park.

She parked the car and went to get some change as the machines don't give change and she didn't want to pay £2 to park for half an hour (cost 60p).

When she returned 6 minutes later she had a ticket. She rang me and I told her to ring the council on the number on the ticket. She did so and was told there was nobody in the office to deal with her enquiry. Total time elapsed since parking the car and going to get money to pay - 12 minutes!

We have written to the council to appeal as it seems to me that there was no reasonable period of observation but have been told that we will have to pay the £40 fine.

Any suggestions or are we stuck with it

[Bernie_the_Bolt]

You don't say which council.

Sadly in London there has been a ruling that there is no grace period for getting change.

However, all may not be lost.

If you can post the ticket here (both sides) then we may be able to identify reasons for challenging the validity of the ticket.

To do so will involve an element of risk on your part as you will lose, should the appeal not be successful the right to pay at the discounted rate.

[Chesterexpress]

Which is it 6 minutes or 12 minutes?

[revolting peasant]

sorry - 6 minutes to get back to the car with change and find she already had a ticket and she rang the council another 6 minutes after that. We can prove this from her mobile bill.

It hapenned in Nottingham.

I can't post the ticket on here as I don't have access to a scanner

[Bernie_the_Bolt]

Originally Posted by revolting peasant

I can't post the ticket on here as I don't have access to a scanner

Can you type it out. All of it I'm afraid. It may be worthwhile. If you do try and do it line by line and indicate what is on the back or front.

[green_and_mean]

In a Car Park there is no need for observation other than to establish if the driver is at the machine what else would they be observing for? The contravention is for leaving a vehicle in the car park without making payment, by leaving the car park the adjudicator has ruled in the past that you have 'left' the vehicle without paying and the PCN is valid. Your only chance of getting off is to hope there is a mistake on the PCN.

[revolting peasant]

Well there you go!

I wrote to the managing director of the district council pointing out that their ticket machines don't give change and that the District Council benefits hugely from overpayments in pre paid parking charges.

Response -"The parking fine was correct but in the circumstances will be cancelled"

[Bernie_the_Bolt]

Originally Posted by revolting peasant

Well there you go!

I wrote to the managing director of the district council pointing out that their ticket machines don't give change and that the District Council benefits hugely from overpayments in pre paid parking charges.

Response -"The parking fine was correct but in the circumstances will be cancelled"

Great result.
Supports my mantra - always appeal!