Free Traffic Legal Advice

Hello

I've just had a traffic warden issue a parking ticket at 09:26 for parking outside my house. 

For context, I have a small driveway in front of my house and reverse out onto the street so I can get my 2 children into the car easily, or to load things into the car.  Vice versa for returning home, I'll leave the car there, unload and then park into our driveway.  It's the same routine I've done for the four years I've lived here.

The signs on the street read "Resident Permit Holders Only Mon - Sat 10am - noon".

So my usual plan is to load and unload my car outside of those hours to be safe.  But for some reason I was given a ticket today at 9:26.  Over 30mins before the restrictions begin.

The traffic warden tried to explain, but I wasn't following correctly.  He said something about the rules being different now and its from 9am and that there was signage on Anerley Hill, the road my street leads onto.

I have not seen any of these signs.  On top of it all, I have been away from the house since early Jan (house had a burst pipe over Xmas and insurance have had us living in a temp accommodation while they make the house safe.). I only just got back on Monday midday, and so have not seen any signage anywhere.  I still haven't seen it.

I have the parking ticket itself but the PCN number doesn't come up with anything on the Bromley website, as the ticket has only just been issued I suppose.  But when I have more information, I can post it here.

Has anyone heard of anything like this before?  Seems wild they can just change the rules like that?

Whilst you are waiting for the Council site to update (may not be until tomorrow) please post up both sides of the unredacted PCN and a GSV link to the location.

You could also post a GSV link for the point where you entered the zone from Anerley Hill.

The signs on the street read "Resident Permit Holders Only Mon - Sat 10am - noon".

Do they still say this or is this your recollection from before you returned? If they still say this take a dated photograph in case you may need it later..

PCN is for parking on a restricted street, so indicates you were parked on a single-yellow line which is probably outside your house, because you have a driveway.

The signs "Resident Permit Holders Only Mon - Sat 10am - noon" only apply to the clearly marked  parking bays. These yellow lines are controlled by the CPZ entry signs at the entrance to Pleydell Avenue : -
https://maps.app.goo.gl/j874DC2pFV7Jh9Lz5
As you can see, the yellow line restriction starts at 8.00am.

However, going back in time in GSV shows the CPZ signs first present in August 2017 with times of 10.00am to Noon : -
https://maps.app.goo.gl/G7ZXAd7PUaeLgENF9
Then in 2018 the times are changed to 8.00am to 6.30pm
https://maps.app.goo.gl/UnDdEXid2Wx6YziMA

So it does look as if you have been extremely lucky not to have been walloped before today, because the current restriction has been there for seven years.

Thank you for getting back to me.

Yes so I've always just parked there for 10mins or so while I load or unload the car before moving into my driveway.  There is a yellow line across the front of my house.

So I have just been lucky so far?  I can't believe it.  I honestly had no idea.  So there's nothing I can do?

Well being completely honest I am not sure exactly how long I was there for.  My phone was in the car and I was putting my baby for a nap.  If I had to guess I would say 20-30mins.  I did lose track of time as my 3 year old is off nursery today also, so was wrangling both of them.

I pulled up around 9ish. And then took them out of the car and into the house.  Then saw the traffic warden and was chatting to him through the window while I was still getting baby for a nap at 9:25.  And then eventually moved the car back into drive way around 9.40 I would say once he was asleep.  Didn't rush down to move it as ticket had already been issued.

Sounds like you have an alighting exemption if you had to secure baby and you saw the CEO.

They have to consider the circumstances for a resident.

No rush - you have 2 weeks to make a challenge. If you don't want to give the details PM me the PCN number and car VRM and I'll post pics with VRM blanked later.

Thank you for posting this!

I honestly have no real way to gauge when we got back.  I was actually freaked out when I saw the traffic warden as I thought it was already 10am and had even asked him what the time was.  So when he said "half nine", I was confused and then asked why he was giving me a ticket.

My daughter had watched maybe 3 episodes of Bluey while I was getting my son for a nap. So maybe 20-30mins?  I can't imagine it would have been more but I can't guarantee that to be honest.