Euro Parking Services PCN - Parked for longer than maximum period permitted - Spar Broadstairs CT10 2AY

I am looking for advice on the PCN as shown above. For context: the driver parked in the car park due to a house viewing across the road. In order to have a valid reason for parking, the diver's disabled mother entered the store to make a purchase. The appropriate blue badge was displayed by the driver in the car. As shown in the images, there is CCTV images of the car parked in the bay, not just ANPR on entering and leaving.

The parking contravention was 4 seconds over the signposted 30 minute maximum. The evidence shows the car parked at 12:10:29, but the final image shows the car with the reverse light illuminated and the car having moved slightly at 12:40:33.

I (the keeper) have already appealed to the parking company and have been rejected. The subsequent appeal would have to go through IAS. I am wondering on what grounds my appeal might succeed (if it were to go to court). N.B. in the initial appeal, it may have been revealed to the parking company who the driver of the vehicle at the time was.

Any advice is welcome.

“appropriate blue badge” - do the parking conditions require one to be displayed, eg to park in a designated parking space? Otherwise, blue badges have no relevance on private land.

Presumably you can’t show us your appeal? Otherwise you would have done.

On what basis is the contract the driver entered into by reading the signs and by parking not valid?

It is normal that a 10 minute “grace period” applies on top of valid parking. See https://www.britishparking.co.uk/write/Documents/AOS/Sector%20Code%20Templates/sectorsingleCodeofPracticeVersion1.1130426-2.pdf. Is this complied with?

I cannot seem to find the appeal that I wrote. I made my appeal for them to see some sense - this has worked in the past in other situations, but clearly in this case I should have been more exacting. I am reasonable sure you are correct that the blue badge being displayed by the driver is not directly impactful but might count towards a mitigating circumstance, especially given the driver was only parked for 4 seconds over the time limit (30 minutes free parking, parked for 30:04).

I am unsure on the grace period - I believe the guideline states that it is not required for short stay parking spaces (<30 minutes), but again the driver being parked for 4 seconds over that time, and having their reverse light on at that time (suggesting they are in fact not parked but driving) is somewhat egregious.

Yes, unfortunately

NOTE 2: The grace period does not apply to short stay areas – controlled land where the parking of a vehicle is permissible for a limited period not greater than 30 minutes, for example at airport and railway station drop off and pick up zones.

Is it worth even bothering to appeal to IAS over the fact the reverse light was on in the picture that they used as evidence? I'm tempted to grab a template email and send it over, but also given the success rate of appeals might it just be worth paying the £60 instead...?

Would there be any point in raising something like the Equalities Act re: the disabled mother? As the contravention was so close to the maximum permitted time, it might be argued that extra time would be required for them to walk to and from the car. At this point it feels like grasping at straws, however.

The IAS will agree with Euro Parking Services, but if you are prepared to take this to court then you should appeal to the IAS anyway, knowing it will cost EPS something like £23.
The likelihood if you defend a subsequent county court claim is that the claim will be discontinued before the court fee needs to be paid by the claimant, but that will be in several months and will require you to stay on top of the case between now and then.
We can advise but compliance with deadlines will be down to you.
So is it worth £60 to avoid this to you?