Thread: Should I Appeal

I received a parking ticket from TFL for parking on the red route. My car was photographed, but you could not see that I was parked in a designated loading bay, some how the bay did not show up ib the photo. Having returned to scene (just to ensure there was a bay) I wrote to TFL asking them to re-examine the evidence.

Today I received my response, stating that they agreed that I parked in a bay allowing for 20 minutes loading, but on inspection there was evidence of me loading. Do they have the right to define loading, as I most certainly unloaded my baby's buggy and reloaded the buggy and other items on my return to the car.

I am so fed up with being shafted for being a motorist.

I somehow feel that an appeal would be fruitless. You parked in a loading bay and unfortunately unloading then reloading a buggy with other activities away from the vehicle in between. They would define loading for example from a private vehicle as transferring heavy or bulky items which cannot be moved to the nearest parking space, and this must be in a continuous operation, not for a couple of minutes on arrival, then conducting other business before reloading 20 minutes later.

A commercial vehicle, or at a push an estate car clearly transferring bulky goods into a nearby premises would be more clearly viewed as being on legitimate business than a small saloon apparently taking a baby's buggy out, then going shopping. I agree about getting shafted, but personally would steer well clear of red route loading bays unless I am actually using them for commercial purposes.

TfL don't define loading, it's defined in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (as everything that appears on a road sign does). The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002 Basically, loading always relates to the loading of goods, so a pram doesn't count. So it would come down to what the 'other items' you loaded were. Unless it's commercial goods I don;t think you have a chance. Sorry!