PCN: Parking in Disabled Bay, Car Towed less than an hour later

Hi,

I am seeking some advise as I believe I have been scammed by the council or they must be committing some type of fraud.


Summary of the incident:


There is a disabled bay on my road which had it's signage removed and the council attempted to burn off the "Disabled" writing on the pavement but it's still visible and a poor job was done. The resident who owned it has not lived there in years. I have an email from last year where I asked about the space and the council said they have raised a request to review this. A few months after that email we saw a crew outside with a big van and a flamethrower trying to burn the "Disabled" marking off the road. By this point the metal sign on the house which said "Disabled Bay" was removed for almost a year.


My neighbours including myself have been parking on the bay for months without any issues ever, we have seen parking wardens walk past investigate but keep walking as there is no longer a sign.


This morning I got a fine for stopping in a disabled bay, as I went to appeal it I return and my car was being towed and taken to the car pound. This happened in under an hour from when I first got the ticket at 9:12am, by 10:10am they were towing my car. They made me pay for the PCN £80 and also £280 to retrieve the car.


I made an effort to explain to the police and to the council but they are adamant that on the system it's still a "Disabled Bay".


I believe the council are committing fraud here as they removed the signage and attempted to remove the sign, I have pictures of how the bay looks. They seem to pick and choose when to enforce this bay.


On top of this, I have evidence that they put a fake ticket on the windscreen whilst they towed the car and took new pictures. The original ticket at that point was already appealed (i have email confirmation of this) and within my possession. When I went outside to see my car being towed I saw they added a blank "Penalty Charge Notice" which contained no ticket. I asked about this but was dismissed.


Also, during this process they scratched my brand new alloys due to how they attached the tow hooks onto the rims. There are now deep scratches on all 4 where previously they were flawless,


I can attach pictures of the road markings + the missing sign in-front of the house. I have all emails from where I asked about the bay and requested it's removal last year.


What legal rights do I have to dispute this?

Alright, firstly what you'll need to do is show the actual PCN which was given to you at the pound. If you could also provide the emails you sent as proof, to see what can be done, along with the GSV/location, and which council.

If there was no letter inside of the PCN which was put on your car then it was not served, and is a procedural impropriety. Keep the yellow PCN as you may need it for later. If there was no letter/PCN served then do you even know the PCN number? If you don't, call the council and ask.

To clarify, there was a PCN served initially. I went outside to get it from my windscreen which I immediately challenged online by raising the same points. Whilst I was appealing the ticket they came under an hour of it being issued, added another "Penalty Charge Notice" on the windscreen but it was just the empty packet, no actual ticket inside. They then took new pictures of the car with the empty PCN on the window and started towing it. By the time I came out it was too late. I have evidence of this as the pictures they have are time-stamped and show that the PCN sticker was on the window after I appealed it online. Which makes no sense.

Besides that, the main issue is the fact that this was a disabled bay which had it's signage removed, had the "Disabled" writing removed and all enforcement stopped for months. There is even someone parked in it currently as everyone living here has noticed that enforcement stopped. We have seen traffic wardens walk by and whilst cars are parked in the disabled bay without a badge but they would only check for a resident permit and that's it, no one has ever received a ticket parking here since the signage and road marks were removed.

Suddenly today they decided they had to act in such a drastic manner.

To clarify, there was a PCN served initially. I went outside to get it from my windscreen which I immediately challenged online by raising the same points. Whilst I was appealing the ticket they came under an hour of it being issued, added another "Penalty Charge Notice" on the windscreen but it was just the empty packet, no actual ticket inside. They then took new pictures of the car with the empty PCN on the window and started towing it. By the time I came out it was too late. I have evidence of this as the pictures they have are time-stamped and show that the PCN sticker was on the window after I appealed it online. Which makes no sense.

Besides that, the main issue is the fact that this was a disabled bay which had it's signage removed, had the "Disabled" writing removed and all enforcement stopped for months. There is even someone parked in it currently as everyone living here has noticed that enforcement stopped. We have seen traffic wardens walk by and whilst cars are parked in the disabled bay without a badge but they would only check for a resident permit and that's it, no one has ever received a ticket parking here since the signage and road marks were removed.

Suddenly today they decided they had to act in such a drastic manner.

If there was no ticket in the PCN sticker for the towing incident then there is a procedural impropriety. You said you do have proof of it so sending it would be great to see what can be done.

Inform your neighbours to not park there from now, as they may continue enforcement. What we require now is the doucuments you were given at the car pound, once you had it released. Send any evidence you currently have as well. Since you have already paid all there is to pay for the tow PCN this can be taken to London Tribunals for no extra cost, a no brainer. Issuing a 2nd PCN within an hour of each other is unproportional too, or is the one you recieved first the one you paid while retrieving the car? Do you have the number of the 2nd PCN? If you don't phone the council and ask. Once you do so drafting of representations can occur.

We cannot help you if you do not provide the location of the offence or publish the actual PCN as we need to see what exactly the council has done. (you can redact personal details for your privacy)

Post the materials redacting only name and address.

Presumably you got your car from the pound

We need to see:
- the PCN given to you at the pound
- all other documents given to you at the pound
- Google Maps link of the location. 

+1 we need docs.

My guess is that what you think was an empty packet was the Onboard CEO's confirmation that the vehicle met the council's criteria for removal(which is why it was removed soon thereafter), NOT another PCN.:

Pl elaborate on:

By the time I came out it was too late. I have evidence of this as the pictures they have are time-stamped .....

Were the 4 wheels of the car on the removal vehicle when you appeared and, presumably, identified yourself as the person in charge of the vehicle?

 
The decision on whether to immobilise or to remove a vehicle requires an exercise of judgement and must [footnote 21] only be taken following specific authorisation by an appropriately trained CEO. (known as the Onboard CEO)

The immobilisation and removal operatives should not take the decision.

If a driver returns to the vehicle whilst immobilisation or removal is taking place, then it is recommended that the operation is halted, unless the clamp is secured or the vehicle has all its wheels aboard the tow truck.


Although only a 'should' (as opposed to 'must') this must be addressed in the council's removal and immobilisation policy.

Hi everyone, thanks for the responses.

I have attached pictures of the only documentation I received.
The original PCN issued just before my car was towed, which I appealed a few minutes prior to my vehicle being towed. I also received a document on how to obtain my car from the car pound and another document explaining how I can appeal.

The PCN sticker you see on the picture of my car being towed is the PCN which had nothing inside, by that point I already had the original and appealed it. There was NO TICKET inside the yellow PCN sticker at this point, so not sure why another one was added to the windscreen.

When I went outside and identified myself as the driver/keeper the car was already loaded on the flatbed and they were ready to drive off.

This occurred at Kennedy Road, Barking, IG11 7XJ.

In total I only received the PCN I added in the pictures and that was it. There was no other documentation and I was sent a link via email to pay the Tow fee + PCN prior to getting my vehicle back.

Hi everyone, thanks for the responses.

I have attached pictures of the only documentation I received.
The original PCN issued just before my car was towed, which I appealed a few minutes prior to my vehicle being towed. I also received a document on how to obtain my car from the car pound and another document explaining how I can appeal.

The PCN sticker you see on the picture of my car being towed is the PCN which had nothing inside, by that point I already had the original and appealed it. There was NO TICKET inside the yellow PCN sticker at this point, so not sure why another one was added to the windscreen.

When I went outside and identified myself as the driver/keeper the car was already loaded on the flatbed and they were ready to drive off.

This occurred at Kennedy Road, Barking, IG11 7XJ.

In total I only received the PCN I added in the pictures and that was it. There was no other documentation and I was sent a link via email to pay the Tow fee + PCN prior to getting my vehicle back.

Can you also provide the emails you sent to the council asking them about the bay? So you've already filed an appeal for the PCN then as well?

Quote from: ps117 on August 20, 2026, 10:39:21 am

Hi everyone, thanks for the responses.

I have attached pictures of the only documentation I received.
The original PCN issued just before my car was towed, which I appealed a few minutes prior to my vehicle being towed. I also received a document on how to obtain my car from the car pound and another document explaining how I can appeal.

The PCN sticker you see on the picture of my car being towed is the PCN which had nothing inside, by that point I already had the original and appealed it. There was NO TICKET inside the yellow PCN sticker at this point, so not sure why another one was added to the windscreen.

When I went outside and identified myself as the driver/keeper the car was already loaded on the flatbed and they were ready to drive off.

This occurred at Kennedy Road, Barking, IG11 7XJ.

In total I only received the PCN I added in the pictures and that was it. There was no other documentation and I was sent a link via email to pay the Tow fee + PCN prior to getting my vehicle back.

Can you also provide the emails you sent to the council asking them about the bay? So you've already filed an appeal for the PCN then as well?

I filed an appeal as soon as I got the ticket. So ticket was given at 9:08am. I retrieved the ticket at around 9:40am, I also phoned the council parking team who advised me to appeal it and say that there was no disabled sign and markings were poor.

As soon as I finished writing the appeal and submitting I heard my car alarm going off and saw they were loading it on the truck. This happened at around 10:10am.

The issue is that in order to retrieve my car from the Car Pound they forced me to also pay the ticket which I just appealed, so it was £280 + £80 ticket, £360 in total.

Screenshot of emails below from last year.





Around Jan/Feb of 2026 a roadwork team came and tried to remove the "Disabled" paint lines on the road, they done a poor job. Ever since that day I noticed that people started stopping in the bay and I have NEVER seen anyone get a ticket whilst parking there, let alone being towed.

There is even someone parked in the spot right now!

Quote from: Bulop on August 20, 2026, 11:04:48 am

Quote from: ps117 on August 20, 2026, 10:39:21 am

Hi everyone, thanks for the responses.

I have attached pictures of the only documentation I received.
The original PCN issued just before my car was towed, which I appealed a few minutes prior to my vehicle being towed. I also received a document on how to obtain my car from the car pound and another document explaining how I can appeal.

The PCN sticker you see on the picture of my car being towed is the PCN which had nothing inside, by that point I already had the original and appealed it. There was NO TICKET inside the yellow PCN sticker at this point, so not sure why another one was added to the windscreen.

When I went outside and identified myself as the driver/keeper the car was already loaded on the flatbed and they were ready to drive off.

This occurred at Kennedy Road, Barking, IG11 7XJ.

In total I only received the PCN I added in the pictures and that was it. There was no other documentation and I was sent a link via email to pay the Tow fee + PCN prior to getting my vehicle back.

Can you also provide the emails you sent to the council asking them about the bay? So you've already filed an appeal for the PCN then as well?

I filed an appeal as soon as I got the ticket. So ticket was given at 9:08am. I retrieved the ticket at around 9:40am, I also phoned the council parking team who advised me to appeal it and say that there was no disabled sign and markings were poor.

As soon as I finished writing the appeal and submitting I heard my car alarm going off and saw they were loading it on the truck. This happened at around 10:10am.

The issue is that in order to retrieve my car from the Car Pound they forced me to also pay the ticket which I just appealed, so it was £280 + £80 ticket, £360 in total.

Screenshot of emails below from last year.





Around Jan/Feb of 2026 a roadwork team came and tried to remove the "Disabled" paint lines on the road, they done a poor job. Ever since that day I noticed that people started stopping in the bay and I have NEVER seen anyone get a ticket whilst parking there, let alone being towed.

There is even someone parked in the spot right now!

Currently you'll have to wait to see the outcome of the appeal. If the council staff instructed you to appeal then there is a good chance they'll exercise discretion. I'd advise no one parks in the spot for now as the council may do the same. Looking at the email they said they'd forward it to the Mobility Team, did that particular team reply to you again at all?

The original ticket at that point was already appealed (i have email confirmation of this) and within my possession.

If the PCN you have posted be that given to you at the pound, where is the PCN you took to challenge and is now in your possession?

I went outside to get it from my windscreen which I immediately challenged online by raising the same points.

When you retrieved the original; PCN from the windscreen did you also retrieve the yellow packet?

Please show us a copy of your online challenge.

Quote

The original ticket at that point was already appealed (i have email confirmation of this) and within my possession.

If the PCN you have posted be that given to you at the pound, where is the PCN you took to challenge and is now in your possession?

Quote

I went outside to get it from my windscreen which I immediately challenged online by raising the same points.

When you retrieved the original; PCN from the windscreen did you also retrieve the yellow packet?

Please show us a copy of your online challenge.

The PCN I posted is the ONLY PCN which I received from them. I did not receive any other whilst I was at the pound. I removed the only PCN from the windscreen along with the yellow packet which was issued at 9:08. My car was then towed at 10:10am. This is the point where they placed a 2nd empty packet whilst they were towing it.

I have both yellow packets in my possession. One had a PCN one did not.

What is the PCN number and car VRM. You've blanked them.

OP, sorry but you are making this difficult.

We'll explain procedure then you can fill in the gaps.

1. A vehicle may only be removed if a PCN has been served;
2. The OBCEO would INSPECT the PCN to ensure that it's correct before looking at other circumstances and council policy and authorising removal. In 99....% of cases a PCN is still on the vehicle when the OBCEO attends;
3. But not in your case, you'd removed it!
4. I still think that what you saw could have been an empty envelope but NOT because another PCN had been served but because perhaps this is a signal to the pound that a PCN had been served and that proper checks had been made. IMO, leave this line of thought, I don't think it's going anywhere and is a distraction;
5. This deals with what happened at the roadside, now for the pound which is a separate process under different regulations;
6. Post the receipt you were given when you paid to recover your vehicle and all other notices related to payment and how to make representations which by law had to be given to you at the pound. Only delete your personal info.