Free Traffic Legal Advice

Hi all,

Looking for some advice regarding a recent PCN received on Mildmay road, Ilford (29/03/26).
Reason: Parked in a permit space or zone without a valid virtual permit or clearly displaying a valid permit.

The vehicle was parked on the main street, not within a marked bay or on single/double yellow lines. There were no road markings at all where the vehicle was parked. There were no entry signs to the road denoting that a permit is required to park there, nor any signs in the local vicinity to the car that a permit is required.

Having done a bit of research thanks to this invaluable forum, I came across a post with an almost exact situation:
https://www.ftla.uk/civil-penalty-charge-notices-(councils-tfl-and-so-on)/parking-restriction-on-unmarked-road/

I am therefore under the impression that due to the lack of entry signage establishing Mildmay Road as a permit parking area, as well as no permit-only signs within the vicinity of the vehicle, the contravention simply did not occur.

Attached -

Image of the PCN:


Google street view:

I'll check the zone details. The CEO has taken a pic of a repeater sign - is near wgere you parked can you tell?

I'll check the zone details. The CEO has taken a pic of a repeater sign - is near wgere you parked can you tell?

That particular repeater sign was quite far behind the vehicle, towards the end of the no-through road. The start of the street has paid-for bays, clearly outlined with road markings. I've attached a screenshot from Google Maps with some wonderful MS Paint highlights to show the location of the vehicle and the repeater sign pictured by the CEO:

We've seen this before:

https://www.ftla.uk/civil-penalty-charge-notices-(councils-tfl-and-so-on)/parking-restriction-on-unmarked-road/

It's a small permit parking zone that appears to have no entry sign and if so cannot be enforced by a repeater that repeats nothing.

Can you go back and check for an entry sign?

Redbridge and adjudicators get in a big muddle about PPAs, confusing them with CPZs (see case below).

At least Redbridge's order doc gets a PPA right:






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Case reference   2250466688
Appellant   Ade Gbadebo
Authority   London Borough of Redbridge
VRM   P6OYE
   
PCN Details
PCN   AF09013943
Contravention date   20 Apr 2025
Contravention time   11:10:00
Contravention location   MILDMAY ROAD
Penalty amount   GBP 160.00
Contravention   Parked resident/shared use without a valid permit
   
Referral date   -
   
Decision Date   09 Mar 2026
Adjudicator   Anju Kaler
Appeal decision   Appeal allowed
Direction   cancel the Penalty Charge Notice.
Reasons   This appeal was listed for a hearing on Microsoft Teams at 3:30 pm. The Appellant did not join the hearing. I am satisfied he was notified of the date, time and procedure. The Enforcement Authority relied on the evidence submitted in advance.
The agreed facts are that the vehicle was at the stated location and a Penalty Charge Notice was issued for parking in a permit bay without a permit. The Appellant accepts he parked here but he says there were no bay markings to designate the permit bays. The Authority says:
“Under the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 (TSRGD), a controlled parking zone (CPZ) or permit-holder bay must be properly signed, including upright “Pay & Display” or “Permit Holders Only” signs, which might be supported by bay markings on the carriageway for individual bays, or using entry signs when the entire road is controlled)” .
The Authority also submits that since the restriction applies to the entire road, no bay markings are required.
If the area is within a controlled zone, which has signs at the entry points into the zone, then no bay markings are required. The Authority has not submitted anything to show that such a zone exists here.
In cases where there are no such signs, the Authority must make it clear where the restriction applies, and this is done by marking out bays. One sign in the road setting out restrictions is not sufficient to say that the entire road is included.
I allow the appeal.