Free Traffic Legal Advice

Hi,

The car was parked in a free parking bay on Burdett Road (here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/7Ce1sHA7oM8XQyzg6  and picture of the exact spot it was parked at: https://imgpile.com/p/m8nL51A#dylE0HR. The car was left there for many weeks. During that period, a notice was issued for Suspension of Parking Bay, reason: Tree Works. At the time of parking, it was assumed the car was safe without the need to move the car from a free parking bay. Because the car had not been checked on in the time the bay suspension notice was put up and remained parked in they bay, the car was towed to Agnes Street (here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/GmHMLq6R4xfwJxt4A) to a permit-required bay.

On the 19th of December 2025, the registered keeper of the car received a letter from Tower Hamlets Council stating a PCN had not been paid (here: 1) https://imgpile.com/m/3BRSO7O, 2) https://imgpile.com/p/m8nL51A#WxEXEfl, 3) https://imgpile.com/p/m8nL51A#iwEUeiY ), expecting more letters are on the way.

The registered keeper of the car then went to locate the vehicle on Agnes Street to find a notice stating the previous parking suspension (here: 1) https://imgpile.com/p/m8nL51A#OSVKsc9, 2) https://imgpile.com/p/m8nL51A#PB4V3t2 ) along with multiple PCNs attached to the car, 20 in total! (Image of one PCN - associated to the PCN letter: https://imgpile.com/p/m8nL51A#Y9qplmo )

The car was moved from a free parking bay on Burdett Road to Agnes Street, a permit only bay, and left there without the knowledge of driver.

An attempt was made to park the car back on Burdette Road in a free parking bay, however, the car now won't start and can't be moved from the permit-only bay.


What would be the best way to tackle this appeal?

Thank you so much in advance.

Leaving a car on-street even if in a marked bay which permits your car to park there, then leaving it for weeks on end is just asking for big trouble in London, because bay suspensions are frequent. Frankly, TfL should NOT have moved you car to a Tower Hamlets permit-only bay; they should have towed the car to their pound. This means you would now have a single PCN, a tow charge, and 20-odd days of storage at £55 a day, so still a large sum.

Your statutory grounds against the TH PCNs, ssuming they were served under the Traffic Management Act 2004 is found in Regulation 5(4)(c) in the The Civil Enforcement of Road Traffic Contraventions (Representations and Appeals) (England) Regulations 2022
"(c)at the time that the alleged contravention occurred, the vehicle in question was in the control of a person who did not have the consent of the owner;"
T
TfL, for reasons known only to themselves, moved your car into a council bay, whereas they should have towed the car to the pound. The TfL PCNs will be far more difficult to refute in my opinion.

Of the 5 weeks since the contravention until the first letter of notice, 2.5 weeks were spent away out of the country

But regardless, it should not have been left for that long without checking on the vehicle.