Forum Topic

Parking Penalty charge notice

I have just been asked about a Penalty Charge Notice with reference to a quick stop in Lancaster Road Southall between 1542 and 1543 on20th January 2011. The notice was issued on 2nd February, and the person concerned has phoned the council to complain about the charge. Is it correct for such a short stop?

Chris Bell ● 5515d13 Comments

Thanks for all the replies, I am passing them on to the person involved, who does not come from the area.

Chris Bell ● 5505d

No Chris Bell, I think it is unreasonable . Please Use the link below to defend yourself. The odds should be in your favour. Best Wishes http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&biw=1083&bih=797&q=Par

Os. A. Whittle ● 5505d

I never received this specific complaint regarding the operations of mobile enforcement units, so therefore assumed a 3 minute waiting period was being observed. There may be a software fix required, but there's nothing to prevent operators being given instructions that they must allow 3 minutes for issuing a ticket for parking offence. Perhaps such an instruction exists but was not followed in this instance; all the more reason to challenge the ticket.

Vlod Barchuk ● 5505d

Thanks v. much Vlod, and so why are the mobile vehicles not adapted to account for the three minute period as well?Do you know from your former duties whether they could be adapted? Forget sense for a moment.

George Knox ● 5507d

No. The 3 minute grace period is intended to remove the possibility that someone has stopped for the purposes of loading or unloading (a 10 minute grace period is allowed in CPZs near schools at opening/closing times so parents can pickup/drop off their children). It makes no sense to have different rules for CCTV enforcement, but marrying sense with parking rules always proves to be more difficult that it might seem (I have some of the scars to prove it).

Vlod Barchuk ● 5507d

VlodIs there an argument for the mobile enforcement units not having a three minute delay facility? Do you know?

George Knox ● 5508d

'No parking' does not preclude loading and unloading (people as well as goods). If you are stopped for less than 3 minutes then the general principle is that you have not parked (it can get complicated if you are stopped for longer than 3 minutes). Single and double yellow lines ban parking, but not stopping.'No stopping' means no stopping at all, even for a second to let passengers get in or out. No stopping applies on zigzags (and yellow lines with yellow marks on the kerbstones).If there were double yellows, then it sounds like this ticket will not stand up to challenge (depends how quickly the parking department decides to back down). Traffic wardens (Civil Enforcement Officers as they are now called) are equipped with machines which force a 3 minute waiting period before a ticket can be issued for a 'no parking' offence; clearly the mobile enforcement units do not have this facility.

Vlod Barchuk ● 5508d

Is a "stop" the same as a "park" for the purpose of issuing a parking penalty notice ? Eg if  the engine is running,the driver remains in the car for less than 3 mins is a penalty notice justifiable ? These parking officials  are too ticket happy and  need to assess the  circumstances before taking photographs which do not reflect the facts.I recently had this kind of situation and after appealing the ticket was cancelled...all created a waste of everyone's time and tax payers money !!

Marie Anne OConnell ● 5508d

Makes you wonder how much time is spent in the penalties department on sorting complaints objections etc. Bassam please organise a cost/benfits assessment.

George Knox ● 5514d

Right, classic case for writing a letter back POLITELY and clearly explaining all that, and asking for the penalty to be revoked -  and if they stick to their guns and refuse to revoke it, appeal to the national Parking and Traffic Appeals Service using the form the Council should send you or whoever got the ticket.

Chris Veasey ● 5514d

From what I have been told, the driver wanted to park on the opposite side of the road, but there was another vehicle approaching from behind so he pulled over to the left. He stopped without locking the car or closing the window, got out and looked at the space available on the other side of the road to see whether it was big enough for his car, then went back to the car and parked as intended. There was a close-up picture followed 62 seconds later by a wide angle photo, both show a double yellow line in front of the car and appear to have been taken using a pole mounted video camera.

Chris Bell ● 5514d

Parking notices are often given unfairly and should be challenged.There should be a distinction between "parking" and  "stopping"e.g there was a case where a car stopped to collect keys from a pedestrian on the curbside.The driver did not exit the car the engine was running and the "stop" was only 3 minutes yet the driver received a ticket in the post on the basis of a photograph.The notice was challenged and eventually revoked

Marie Anne OConnell ● 5514d

Depends where it was, what the restrictions were/are there, and what purpose the stop was for. Tell us that and I (and no doubt others) will do best to advise.

Chris Veasey ● 5514d