Free Traffic Legal Advice

I had planned to take my family out (on Tuesday 01/04/2025) to Nando's in Finsbury Park, and we thought it would be nice to take our little one to the park itself before going to the restaurant.

Before setting off, I searched on GSV for where I should park the car. I chose not to park on Oxford Road where my chosen entrance to the park is, because, at the time in question, parking is strictly for residents' permit holders only on that road. So I decided to park on Upper Tollington Park which is partway between the park's entrance at the end of Oxford Road, and carried my little one from there to the park, and from the park to the restaurant, and back to the car again.

The reason for choosing Upper Tollington Park was that the bay I parked in allows for non-residents to park if they have a pay & display ticket. As I got out of the car, I checked the sign and I misread the sign as only being required to pay if parking between 8:30am and 6:30pm. In actual fact it said between 8:30am and 8:30pm. I also noticed that the restrictions only applies on match and event days, but I thought that was irrelevant to me because it was already past 6:30pm.

After visiting the park we walked past the car at 7:30pm and there was no PCN. As we continued walking towards the restaurant we saw a CEO issuing a PCN to another car further southwest on the same street, about 30 metres away from my car, on the same side of the road. I wondered if I was wrong to park too, but noticed that this particular car was in a separate bay which is strictly for business permit holders till 8:30pm. So I thought to myself I don't need to worry, because this driver was in the wrong and I was in the right. Little did I know that that same CEO was about to head to my car and give me the same treatment.

It was only when I got back to the car at 8:30pm that I saw the PCN and I checked the restrictions sign, and I realised it said 8:30am-8:30pm, not 8:30am-6:30pm.

In the PCN evidence I notice that the CEO's image of the restrictions is very low resolution. I don't suppose this would be of any help to me in my case?

Please note that the sign shown on GSV is outdated. This is a link to the exact location I was parked.

Today is the last day to post a challenge without losing the discounted rate, so any response I could get asap from anyone would be greatly appreciated. I realise I should have come here sooner but I just could not find the time.

Link to PCN and CEO evidence - use Incognito to avoid needing to sign in to view.

@cp8759

And this is in the criminal section because…?

I apologise.

I think Haringey flips the signs on match days - you can see the hinge. On 1 April Arsenal were playing at home.

The blurred pic won't impress an adjudicator. It would be useful to see what it says as I wonder if the P&D times do not coincide with permit parking.

Can you get us a photo of the new sign?

The next match at the Emirates is this Saturday - women's champions league game. That is the earliest we can check the sign. 

I've only now finally understood what you mean by a flipped sign on a hinge. I didn't know such a thing existed.
The sign hasn't changed at all then.

I suppose what happened with me was:
1) I looked at GSV before I left home, thinking I can park there safely after 6:30pm
2) I looked at the sign once I parked, but "confirmation bias" kicked in making me misread 8:30 for 6:30

I guess I'll just have to be contrite and see how it goes?

In some ways this is a better way of handling event days as it doesn't rely on zone entry signs with event days, parking signs with separate event days times (and best practice, also small plates with an event day phone hotline).

In others it's worse as a diligent motorist planning ahead can fall into a false sense of security and the sign can be more complicated.

I have appealed citing the fact that I checked the sign both before and after arriving at the location and, from both those readings, I understood that I can park after 6:30pm, and I can't see anything on the sign to show that I have breached any rule.

No, you've made an informal representation, you're a long way from making any appeal.