I received 2 PCNs for the same contravention within 13 mins of each other on the same day, travelling through an area I have never driven through. Total amount is £320 for driving down a regular road on a Monday morning (the only time I could make the journey due to working full time).
Both PCNs state the name of the road and are for entering a restricted pedestrian zone. Neither states an exact location, just the name of a long road. Both have a tiny, dark thumbnail showing my car travelling along a normal road for cars.
PCN 1 (Greenford):
PCN 2 (Southall):
I have never even heard of the 'restriction on entering a pedestrian zone' contravention before this and am still not 100% clear on what it is or how to identify it in future.
I understand certain roads near schools become 'pedestrian zones' at certain times, but the roads remain open and look exactly like a road. There may be a sign somewhere with small text, but no actual road traffic sign in a red circle to show you cannot enter.
I cannot find the signs on the 2 roads in Google maps. I have tried to view the evidence online on the official Ealing council PCN portal, but I get an error and clicking on the link they emailed me only opens a blank webpage. So I cannot see where it was, what I did or what kind of sign was there.
I had no idea there was a school in that area, or that there were restrictions or what days or times they would apply.
I think the sign may be in the corner of the dark thumbnails on the PCN, but I can't read it (too small), and it strikes me that would not be readable from a moving vehicle in traffic, especially if turning left into the road. It was also a dark morning, raining and I had my windscreen wipers on. In one photo there is a van on my inside between my car and the sign, so not sure I would have even seen it.
Do I have any case for appealing and not paying?
This feels like pure robbery.
