Free Traffic Legal Advice

Hello everyone,

Been a while since I last got myself in trouble, but a moment of absent-mindedness has landed me with a nice yellow envelope on my windscreen.

In fairness, I hold my hands up here - visiting an elderly relative in hospital and I forgot to pay the parking charge until I'd already been there for enough time to have the ticket slapped on.

However, as I've said on previous occasions - highly critical of the local councils in this area and their sheer inability to operate in the best interests of residents, so I'd rather not pay them a penny I don't have to pay them.

Any advice highly appreciated on technicalities I might win on here; otherwise, if the advice is "all in order, stop being daft and pay the discount", then happy to take that on board with grace too.

Front and back of PCN here:

https://1drv.ms/i/c/0a844cd793b2dfda/EYeX2FJzsgJFg3-ahfvYO4kBpndCKuebBEkBPmlw39nUmw

https://1drv.ms/i/c/0a844cd793b2dfda/EU1HPGCg0ipDqusmgq6SPV8BQXaP-8mXDUtFW1ykWBhePQ

Google Maps location here:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/WMt6PvDb2oFi99e1A?g_st=ic

I did buy a parking session as soon as I realised. Ticket was issued at 17:40 and parking session booked (from inside the ward, I did not go back outside) around 18:00. And yes, the contravention itself is (I believe) correct.

In terms of mitigating health issues, are you talking about my own, or the person I was visiting? Assuming the former, I have fibromyalgia, which can come with brain fog. I've parked in this car park a dozen times over the past two weeks, and this is the first time I've forgotten to pay.

Noted on them not reoffering the discount - bit mean of them, the last PCN I had was a good while back from LBBD and they reoffered, so this is good to know. I'll see what others say, but I have some time to decide. If there's a chance I don't mind being a bit risky, but if not, no sense in giving up the discount for a done deal.

The PCN details are linked above in the original post (via Onedrive); let me know if there's any issue accessing them, and I can see if there's another way to host them.

Just note that if they reply within the discount period, it is still available to the appellant until the period indicated on the PCN expires  and any refusal to accept payment is unlawful. This was decided many years ago in the Traffic Penalty Tribunal in a Nottingham case. Of course the money must be received within the period, not just sent off.

One further question on this one, if I could get a little more guidance before considering payment - I note they haven't yet uploaded the photos when I check the PCN. I suspect it's still enforceable even if they don't show the evidence?