London Congestion Charge - argue the fine?

[juliet199]

My other half and I needed to pop over to East London 10 days ago and this means a stupidly long trip around the M25 and then into come in via Essex, or drive directly through London in potentially half the time.

 

As always we opted for the quicker choice, but this means nearly entering the City of London, getting close to the London Congestion Charging Zone. We've both driven up there many times in the last twenty years and never received a fine, but Friday one landed on the doormat.

 

Much of the Elephant and Castle area has been redeveloped and changed in the years since we were last there, and we did take a wrong turning at the massive roundabout and my husband asked me to keep a careful eye out to ensure we were not already in or entering the Charge Area which normally has a great white C on a red circle every 10 yards in the middle of the road.

 

We did see Cs on the opposite carriageway, but not in our lane/direction.

Neither of us saw any signs of having entered the LCC area or we would have simply paid the tenner online we got home.

 

Is this an acceptable case to present to those who have heard every excuse in the book or should we just accept it?

 

Thanks,

 

Julie    

[dx100uk]

check your route on a mapping program and see if indeed you entered the zone?

[juliet199]

I have a photo of the exact location and I will follow the route we took in Google Maps Street View next weekend to see how we failed to see the warnings of entering the zone and see if we can use an argument of the warning signs being poor. I can't see them getting it wrong, but neither of us saw any signs.

 

[dx100uk]

Have a look on a search engine too to see if others have used poor signage as an appeal 

 

But don't miss your discount deadline 

 

Dx

[juliet199]

Thanks, will do.

 

Hi DX,

 

I've had a good look through the forms and Internet. 

 

The notice was issued on 17/1/23 so I need to file my challenge by 31st and I will be doing this Sunday, a couple of days beforehand.

 

Of the six allowed reasons to challenge, "I got lost" appears the most appropriate. Section 14 of Mitigating Circumstances for challenging a parking penalty states:

 

Where the motorist claims to have been unaware of the existence of a controlled parking zone.

If it can be established that the signing and marking of the CPZ is at fault may work

In all other circumstances - no chance.

 

So I have to check the route in Road View to make sure we didn't miss something bloody obvious.

 

I can't see anything to state the 14 day half price offer will not be forfeited if we challenge the fine.

 

Thanks,

 

Julie

 

 

[dx100uk]

47 minutes ago, juliet199 said:

challenging a parking penalty states:

its not a parking PCN its a CPZ

[spaceman61]

Of course it's a parking PCN!

 

A CPZ is a Controlled PARKING Zone.

[dx100uk]

yes getting confused with the ulez...