London Borough of Brent PCN - Contravention Code: 16

Hello,

Unfortunately, I just received a PCN for contravention code 16:

“Parked in a permit space or zone without a valid virtual permit or clearly displaying a valid physical permit where required”

After doing some research and considering the context of why I had to park here (found absolutely nowhere else to park for a short period after driving in circles for 10 minutes, needed to visit a bank) I don’t believe there is a valid grounds for appeal but I’m wondering if there’s anything I’ve overlooked.

I needed 5-6 minutes in the bank and thought the observation period was 5 minutes, so could just about risk it, but it turns out it’s just a 3 minute observation period in Brent.

PCN: https://imgur.com/a/oaiA2S0

Street view:

Any help would be appreciated. I acknowledge getting out of this one seems unlikely. Paying £160 (£80 with a discount) is particularly bitter after needing to visit a bank. What makes it worse is no CEO has walked by in the 30 minutes since I got back to the car, despite one apparently noting the car within a minute of me leaving. Bad luck, I guess.

Thanks

The PCN looks in order.

What were you doing at the bank?

What's the address of the bank?

Sorry about the delayed response.

The bank's address is: Nationwide, 48a High Road, Kilburn NW6 4HJ.

I was there to make a deposit. There wasn't even a queue, but the machine just took a weirdly long while to process a not-that-big amount (about minute and a half too long, as I saw the CEO by the car as I was jogging back - I also just noticed the photos show the lights flashing as I was unlocking the car to signal to the CEO that I was back).

I just seriously struggled to find a free payable bay.

There was actually Tesla at the top of the road on double yellows and I did think to myself "I bet they get away with it and I don't" as I went into the bank. Turns out they did (no ticket on them as I came back).

Anyway, the PCN does look in order to my untrained eye so I may just have to cough up.

Some councils will consider bank deposits as mitigation under their loading criteria. We don't have Brent's policy.

What was the nature of the deposit.

Could that apply despite the car not being in a loading bay?

It was a work deposit after a client paid me in cash.