Free Traffic Legal Advice

Hi Folks

Brand new here - arrived via a pointer from the MSE forum.

I live in Porto, Portugal now, but was briefly back home and visiting family in Edinburgh and Glasgow last month when I fell foul of an enforced LEZ boundary in Edinburgh.
   
Basically, we crossed a boundary realising that we were going into a LEZ, as the traffic flow gave us no opportunity once the sign became visible, then turned around within 20 m and exited - I have some evidence of this.

Looking to see how I proceed, as Edinburgh City Council won't engage in a conversation about this - I got an automated email response to my email saying (roughly) 'pay or appeal using the process given' and that no enquiries would be responded to.

The camera shot on the Notice shows the car parked, as we were just inside the boundary marker and waiting to turn around to exit.

My Google Timeline shows (albeit roughly) that we left the street, retraced our route, then came back on the correct route (passing the edge of the LEZ boundary) and avoided it completely.

Question is... I clearly entered the zone, notwithstanding that we were barely there for 2 minutes and no more than 20m into the zone. Am I wasting my time asking for clemency/fighting this, or should I make a representation?

It's currently a £30 charge (I thought it was £90, but apparently that's if I contest it and they find against me).

Don't really want to pay, but not averse to doing so if the risk of ending up paying £90 is high.

Appreciate any feedback/advice you can offer.

Thanks in advance 😁

Images:
Contravention Notice


Maps Timeline showing [very roughly] the 3 driving routes: into N Charlotte St, back along Queen Street, then back the 'right' way, avoiding the LEZ

Many thanks for the reply - it's very much appreciated.

Happy to unredact (or simply declare) the reg. but to what end, may I ask? Why is this useful?

I'm pretty twitchy about what the Council might deem "unreasonable" grounds for enforcement and am veering towards paying the £30 rather than risking the £90 that I'll almost certainly have to pay if they don't see the circumstances for the alleged contravention as 'reasonable' or extenuating.... and I strongly suspect they'll take this view, having a) dealt with them before and b) noting your very valid point about the ever-increasing charge as being "draconian".

That belies a particular mentality, IMNSHO, which does not bode well.

Seems to me that this setup is a racket to shake out £30 charges from the unsuspecting motorist, rather than a legitimate mechanism to mitigate the impact on the city environment.

I can't seem to edit the original post, so here's the back of the Notice...

Thanks again.

Ah, understood.
I've checked the car and it isn't (compliant). It's pre-Euro 6 [Diesel] spec.

£90 - that's comforting to know.

The Council did finally respond to my email... saying the only way to get enquiries/questions dealt with was to submit a representation as per the reverse of the PCN letter.

I can try again with a direct email and ask for evidence of me leaving the zone, but I'd not hold out much hope.

The PCN picture is of the car parked at the beginning of the LEZ (just after the LEZ warning sign), waiting for traffic to pass so we could turn around and leave.

If you look at the attached, you can see the boundary between Albyn Place and N Charlotte St. The white truck in the pic just around the bend is where the car was.

Good idea to ask for the exit footage - hadn't thought of that.

Looking at the precise boundary line on the Council's map, it appears that I was no more than 10m inside the LEZ boundary, and went no further into it than that... but there is, technically, a contravention. The LEZ boundary starts just after the road bends into N Charlotte St, and I was parked on the straight section, more or less outside #2 N Charlotte St.

Thanks also for pointing out my misreading of the text - it read to me as if I'd be charged an extra 50% if I were to contest - didn't connect the "If you do *not* pay the charge" with the next statement properly.