Free Traffic Legal Advice

Dear London Borough of Ealing,

I challenge liability on the ground that the alleged contravention did not occur. My car was only stopped for a few seconds and the CEO's own photos show that the lights were on and the engine was running. The legislation prohibits parking, section 15 of the Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1974 does not create a stopping prohibition, this is not a red route. Stopping for an amount of time that is purely nominal does not amount to a contravention.

In any event I claim the exemption under section 15(3)(b) of the 1974 Act which provides an exemption for parking "for the purpose of saving life or extinguishing a fire or meeting any other emergency". The reason I stopped very briefly is because my wife, who is newly pregnant, was feeling unwell, so I stopped in order to check on her and allow her to get some air. In the event we were only stopped for a matter of seconds and as I drove off I notice a CEO take a photo, in the circumstances there is no contravention and the PCN must be cancelled.

I attach the maternity certificate for your records.

Lastly the two photos taken by the CEO are timed at 9:53 pm and the PCN alleges a contravention at 9:54:42, but at 9:54:42 I had already driven away so my car could not have been parked on the pavement at the time, instead it was moving along the carriageway further down the road. It follows that the contravention alleged could not have occurred in any event.

Yours faithfully,