Written by John Kruse, one of the leading experts on Bailiff Law, this consumer friendly guide is essential reading for anyone who comes into contact with a bailiff.
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I recently received a pcn for parking without displaying a valid pay and display ticket outside my apartment building in Manchester city centre(ish). I appealed to the Council on the basis that there are no roadside signs alongside the parking bays within which i was parked. On the opposite side of the street there is a pay and display machine and signs informing you of the parking restrictions.
The council rejected my appeal saying that the signs are on the opposite side of the street and also i was within a controlled zone.
My questions are;
1- Is the council right? Should there not be signs by the bays in which I was parked?
2- Can anyone tell me the implications of being in a controlled zone? And also point me in the direction of what a controlled zone sign looks like? I drive into and out of the city centre of manchester everyday and have yet to see this sign.
If the bay was seperate to the bays across the road where there were some signs then the bay you were parked in should have some signage to say what the bay is. Are there any signs at all by the bay where you parked and gort the pcn? Have you taken any photos of the bay just in case the council come down at the dead of night and erect a sign?
I do have a couple of photos that I took about 5 mins after the notice was issued, (i'd only popped in my apartment to collect a bag!), I can post them on here a little later. I sent copies of the photos to the council but they merely replied with copies of photos taken by their attendant showing my car and the P&D machine on the opposite side of the road. There is DEFINITELY NO signage near these bays either!
I don't think they can rely on the fact that there was signage on one side of the road and it also applied to the other side of the road. If the bay is a seperate bay then it should have its own signage which explains what the conditions are to allow you to park there. Sounds like this is a case of the ticket going to the appeals process.
Does the ticket have a date of issue and a date of contravention on it? Last I heard, Manchester tickets didn't comply with the 1991 act. If the pcn doesn't have the two dates on it the ticket is worthless
If it does, both dates must be on the ticket and not one on the ticket and one on any tear off payment slip. Take a good look at the signing. The ABD have an excellent guide on ABD and expert advice can be got on http:\\forums.pepipoo.com where there is a fantastic section on parking tickets.
Just a word of warning - they are out today towing illegally parked cars from outside my office!(which is outside apartments close to the city centre)
There are very strict guidelines about parking signage and markings, check the web - sure you'll find something, there has to be signs and road markings for parking restrictions and they have to be done properly, without knowing what you parked on, can't really say.
Footnote - just noticed someones nicked the restricted parking sign from the post opposite the office!!!! that's no sign and tarmaced-over yellow lines, park there if you want gshaw!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!