You would have passed a zone entry sign some way back if entering Liverpool Road from Holloway Road:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/XWvJTrJWrZykAB2S8
But your challenge will be on the match issue.
Draft something and post here.
To be honest, I jumped the gun and submitted my challenge already when you said I had a case. This is what I came up with;
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing to formally challenge Penalty Charge Notice [IZ35607033], issued for parking on Highbury Station Road at approximately 16:00 on Saturday 7th June 2025.
According to signage on the road, additional parking restrictions apply on “Match Days Only.” At the time of parking, I was aware of these restrictions and checked online to confirm whether a football match or sporting fixture was scheduled at Emirates Stadium that day. Upon finding that there were no matches taking place, I reasonably concluded that the restrictions did not apply and that I was permitted to park.
However, I later learned the PCN was issued on the basis that a Robbie Williams concert was taking place at the stadium, and that this was being treated as a “match day.” This seems both misleading and unreasonable.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines a match as:
“(especially British English) a sports event where people or teams compete against each other.”
A Robbie Williams concert is clearly not a match under any conventional understanding of the term. I do not believe it is reasonable for a motorist to be expected to interpret “match” as including concerts or other non-sporting events. The use of the term “match” inherently limits the restriction to sporting fixtures, and a reasonable person would rely on that plain meaning when deciding whether they are in compliance.
To add further confusion, I later had to drive to Haringey that same day, where signage explicitly stated “Event Day Restrictions,” making clear that concerts and other events were covered. The contrast between boroughs in terms of clarity is striking. It is clear Haringey has adopted transparent language to prevent confusion, while Islington’s ambiguous use of “match” creates unnecessary uncertainty.
To support my position, I will be including two photographs demonstrating how Hackney Council amended its signs between April 2018 and March 2019, changing the term from “Match Days Only” to “Event Days Only.” This shows that other London boroughs have acknowledged the ambiguity of “match” and acted to make their signage clearer and fairer to motorists.
I would also like to note that I have always paid PCNs in the past where I have been at fault. I do not make a habit of appealing without cause. However, in this instance, I feel genuinely misled by the signage, and I fully intend to follow this process through to tribunal if necessary. I believe I have acted reasonably and in good faith, and I am confident that any adjudicator will agree that it is not acceptable to move the goalposts and retrospectively apply restrictions based on an interpretation of “match” that no ordinary person would hold.
Lastly, I have seen forum posts stating that signage at the entry to streets affected by match day restrictions should include advance notice of upcoming events. I can confirm that no such signage was present when I parked, and Google Street View confirms that this road does not carry an advance warning board at its entrance. I can only assume that if any such signage were present, the parking warden would have included it as part of their evidence bundle.
In summary, this PCN should be cancelled on the grounds that the restriction was not clearly communicated, and the definition of “match” cannot reasonably be stretched to include concerts without explicit clarification.
