Free Traffic Legal Advice

PCN no: CR4723097A
Croydon 08/09/24
Code 40 - Parking in a disabled bay (decommissioned)

Hi there.

New member and first post so grateful for any advice.

We have 2 recently decommissioned disabled bays on our residential street, which people regularly now park in. The disabled residents no longer live on the road, hence the official signs being painted out.

Both have the signs on poles blacked out but one still has 'Disabled' written on the road itself.

I parked in the space with 'Disabled' written on the road, but has a sign that's been painted out.

We're on a cul de sac and street maps haven't done our bit of the road but the other disabled bay (before it was painted out) is here. https://shorturl.at/o80OI
https://maps.app.goo.gl/FGt7Hj4D4xejTs666

The one I parked on is the same (but with the sign on the post painted black).

PCN - https://imgur.com/a/9izKs8E
Blacked out signage - https://imgur.com/a/MrCDE2C

I'd like to appeal as am assuming I shouldn't have got a ticket for parking in an old bay with no signage but would be grateful for any advice before I do.

It happened yesterday so I've 2 weeks till the charge jumps up.

Thanks again

Bay markings are still good but CEO did not include pic of sign for the obvious reason it's blacked out as you say.

But it seems both these disabled bays have not been formally decommissioned in terms of traffic orders and are showing as live on Croydon's order map.

Have you got anything official to say they've been decommissioned - it may be they are scheduled to be done in a batch of upcoming changes.

Under the relaxation of the rules as per TSRGD 2016, there does not need to be an upright sign anymore.

There is no way Croydon is taking down upright signs in its disabled bays. We need the OP to say what they know about revoking these bays.

On a related point there have been or may be still are advisory disabled bays, which means an upright sign is obviously a necessity in a bay made by an order.

Also, on a point of principle I should prob contact the council/local councillor to double check the status of them and get them formally decommissioned. Seems nuts that a space that's been painted out on the road and had the sign painted out is still showing online as a proper bay and presumably therefore illegal to park on, whilst at the same time not reserved for disabled drivers

Not 100% sure who painted the signs out but am assuming it was the council as the other bay has had the marked space and word 'Disabled' painted over in black paint too

That in some locations an upright sign is not needed is a red herring.

As I said the blanked sign(s) and one blanked legend on the two bays plus local knowledge will probably see this off even though an order to revoke the bay(s) does not seem to have been made.

You can see the orders that batch bays for revocation (and add new ones) in this link. The most recent is PN169, 5 September. I haven't checked back very far to see if Selsdon Avenue appears.

https://www.google.com/search?q=CROYDON+COUNCIL+DISABLED+PERSONS+PARKING+PLACES+-+SCHEDULE&oq=CROYDON+COUNCIL+DISABLED+PERSONS+PARKING+PLACES+-+SCHEDULE&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigAdIBCTIyMjQwajBqOagCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

For the moment, just put in a challenge that the upright sign was not fit for purpose and ask them to cancel.

Let's see what they come back with.

This really needs to go to the Tribunal as suggested previously.

https://www.ftla.uk/civil-penalty-charge-notices-(councils-tfl-and-so-on)/bensham-lane-croydon/msg34752/#msg34752

The above thread explains a little more. And it takes you to cp's link:

https://www.ftla.uk/civil-penalty-charge-notices-(councils-tfl-and-so-on)/pcn-at-my-own-driveway-pavement-parking/msg34577/#msg34577