Free Traffic Legal Advice

I parked my car on the side of the street, where there is no yellow line or signs of any restriction or loading bay, I thought I was legally parked, yet I was surprised to see this ticket upon my return.  I am genuinely shocked as I still don't understand how on earth this is some sort of restricted spot? There is no sign anywhere in sight.




Never had a ticket in 14 years of driving and now got 2 a week apart .

This is where I was parked on maps street view: https://maps.app.goo.gl/tFv7KYfNuBRs9kAd7



Can someone explain how I am supposed to know there is no parking allowed here as I am genuinely confused?

Ok thanks, I genuinely did not notice any such sign on my approach.  I just had a look through the maps street view and can see there is actually a sign on my route but it appears to be conflicting.

See image below of my route: 


The orange sign is where the restricted sign is, which is a bit of road that I am on for a very short distance before I turn right more than 90 degrees, where I saw the second sign (marked blue on the image) saying Restricted Zone Ends.  To me it seems like that second sign was indicating that that the zone had ended on that part of Easton Street, it is located in a confusing spot.

Restricted sign, seemingly indicating restriction if you are following the road on, i.e. going LEFT: 
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Nxc2rgw7RxbvuTVd7 

Restrictied zone ends sign, seemingly indicating that if you then turn right onto that part of Easton Street the zone has finished: https://maps.app.goo.gl/MYFQv5BMo5Ghha2n8

Do I have any leg to stand on here?

It's possible you can make a case that the end zone sign on the main road looks to apply to the part of Easton Street where you parked but you'd have to make it as a theoretical case as you didn't see any signs and crucially not the entry sign.

Ye I see where you are going.  The truth is I didn't see the sign, I've come this route many times before but never really noticed that sign before (probably because it's an immediate left turn and then an immediate right and so my focus would have been on the road while doing these manoeuvres), this is the first time I've actually had to park there and genuinely thought it was a unrestricted area.  I even checked Google Maps before I went there to double check for no parking restrictions but didn't notice any and so went ahead, there is actually a car park just up the road that I could have easily used as well had I known it was restricted.

Annoying, but oh well.  My only comment about the signs is that when you take that immediate right, you clearly see a white sign and not a big red one, so subconsciously I would have not been alerted that this is a restricted area and the white sign gave quite the opposite, they also don't have anything on that part of the road to reinforce that it's a restricted area, like further up Easton Street they have signs constantly showing it's restricted, but this part it does not.  Hence why I genuinely ended up parking there and not noticing it was restricted.

But from the sounds of it, seems like I have a pretty weak case then? Do you have any advice on how I should go forward with this? Do I just appeal stating the reasons above and when I get the inevitable rejection pay up and move on?

I am very surprised you took the 'Zone Ends' sign as applying to the street you turned into when it quite plainly is on the traffic lane for vehicles driving towards Abbey Way, see this GSV view: -
https://maps.app.goo.gl/HP28x8UMK57J7srF6

It's difficult to think of a robust appeal argument, but with the fairly draconian restrictions past the sign (No Parking, No Loading except in marked bays). I think they should have put up two signs at the entry to Easton St, not one. Looking around, they have put repeater signs like this one opposite the entrance to the law courts and car park.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/QZBUnL77yLqxbV498
I suppose to remind people.
Wait a bit to see what others might suggest, but if you are minded to pay the discount, don't miss the deadline for that.

Ye we probably posted at the same time, but I just answered above, truth is I didn't notice any of those signs to be honest.  But when you are actually on the road there is nothing to show you that you are in a restricted zone and I made the point about the repeated signs that you just made on the other side, where it's very obvious once you have parked up, but on this small part of the road it's not.

The laughable matter is i literally checked this on Google maps street view BEFORE I went and parked there, having just had my first ever parking ticket a week earlier, but the maps street view of that exact location again shows no sign in sight, it's only when you come down the route that you have to notice it's a restricted zone, which is hard to notice when you are doing immediate left / immediate right.

Ye so it's definitely restricted.  The only argument I have is whether there was enough signage or not I suppose, as I genuinely didn't notice, even when checking google maps street view before hand.

I can't see any small repeater signs - I think that part of the street heading out of the centre should at least have one or two.

The traffic signs manual agrees:

It is for the traffic authority to determine how many signs are required within the zone and where they are to be placed. The aim should be to place signs strategically so that where drivers might be tempted to stop, they can see a sign.

These are repeater signs.

That's actually quite helpful for an appeal, thank you really appreciate it.  Will wait a couple days to see if anyone else can find anything before raising one.

EDIT: Can you send me a link to this manual, would like to take a read.

Have a read of the restricted parking zone chapter in the traffic signs manual chapter 3.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/traffic-signs-manual

Yes they will reoffer the discount on rejection - nearly all authorities do apart from a few.

The next step is a notice to owner, and again they will probably reoffer the discount on rejection to try and stop you going to the tribunal, which is an expense for them.