Author Topic: RBKC PCN 21u Suspended Bay  (Read 32 times)

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RBKC PCN 21u Suspended Bay
« on: »
I would be very grateful for any help on how to best approach this:

Hi all,

I would be grateful for advice before I submit an informal challenge to RBKC.

Council: Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Location: Princedale Road
Date of PCN: Wednesday 17 June 2026
Time of alleged contravention: 10:20
Contravention: 21u – parked wholly or partly in a suspended bay or space

I found the PCN on my windscreen at about 12:45pm on Wednesday 17 June 2026.

The vehicle was parked on Princedale Road. I am a disabled resident of RBKC and the vehicle was displaying an RBKC disabled residents’ Purple Badge. I also hold a Blue Badge issued by RBKC. I understand that the Purple Badge does not allow parking in a suspended bay, so I am not arguing that the badge itself exempts the vehicle if the bay was properly suspended.

The issue is that when I found the PCN at around 12:45pm, there was no visible suspension sign attached to the bays/signage where I was parked. At approximately 12:50pm I spoke to Civil Enforcement Officer KC2731 nearby who was not the officer who issued the ticket. The CEO confirmed there was no visible suspension sign for the bay I was parked in and said I would need to appeal/challenge the PCN.

I had checked my car on Monday and did not see any suspension sign then. I was unwell on Tuesday and was not able to check the car that day.

On Tuesday I checked RBKC’s online parking suspension service, but the webpage was unavailable and states that this is due to the cyber attack which occurred in November 2025. I have taken screenshots of this. This meant I could not check the council’s online suspension records.

I have since checked the RBKC PCN portal. The council’s photographs do appear to show a yellow parking suspension sign attached to a lamppost at the time the PCN was issued. I do not know when the sign was put up, whether it was still there continuously, when it was removed.

RBKC usually phone using an automated telephone service to warn residents if there vehicle is parked in a bay that is due to be suspended. On this occasion I was not warned by telephone about the suspension, despite RBKC holding my phone number and despite the vehicle displaying an RBKC disabled residents’ Purple Badge.

My questions are:

What is the best angle for an informal challenge in these circumstances?

Should I focus on the difficulty checking for a suspension on the day before?

Is there an argument for inadequate/uncertain signage, given that the council photos show a sign at 10:20 but there was no sign visible at 12:45?

Should I ask RBKC for the suspension log, the date/time the sign was erected and removed, CEO notes, all photos, and proof of the exact bays suspended?

Does the online suspension service being down help at all, or is that only a mitigation/fairness point?

Are there any London Tribunals cases or RBKC-specific points I should rely on?

Should I mention disability/Purple Badge/no phone warning, or keep the challenge focused mainly on signage and proof of suspension?

I have attached PCN and council photos as well as my photos taken at 12.45 with no suspension signs visible.

Thanks in advance for any help.









My photos taken at 12.45

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Re: RBKC PCN 21u Suspended Bay
« Reply #1 on: »
Whose photos are these ? We cannot go and look at any there may be on their website because you've blanked out the PCN Number and car registration.

Other think that looks suspicious is the date of 16/06/2026 on the suspension notice. What is the heading above that date ? If it is the date the sign was put up, then the amount of notice given is grossly insufficient, as these are hardly emergency works. I expect the sign was taken down, (as it must be), when the works are complete.

Re: RBKC PCN 21u Suspended Bay
« Reply #2 on: »
Hello, Thanks for your message.

The first five photos are the councils from the PCN website. The last two photos are ones I took when I found the PCN on the car.

Sorry I thought it was convention to blank out PCN and vehicle reg. I have DM'd them to you - hope that is ok.

Above the date 16/06/2026 it says 'Date Posted' I checked another suspension sign further down the road that is still up. It also has the same reference: KESUP05743 and the same dates of suspension from 17 June to 18 June.

I just checked the RBKC website says:

'When are yellow warning notices put up on street?

We put bay suspension warning notices on street:

seven days in advance for residents' bays (or three days in advance for short notices or less in cases of emergencies)
the day before for pay-by-phone bays

The yellow warning notice will identify the suspended location, confirm the start and end dates and give the reason for the suspension.

How do I search for upcoming suspensions in my street or area?
You can sign up to receive email alerts about suspensions in your selected roads or you can search upcoming suspensions here'

An update on a cyber-attack on Kensington and Chelsea Council and how it has affected services for residents.
rbkc.gov.uk


This is the website to look up suspensions but it's not working because of the RBKC cyber attack which happened November 2025.

Many thanks for your help.
« Last Edit: Today at 09:07:01 pm by will1 »

Re: RBKC PCN 21u Suspended Bay
« Reply #3 on: »
As I suspected, the date the sign was erected was the day befoe the suspension took effect, so manifestly unfair to people parking there. It is totally unreasonable to expect residents to check every single day. Minimum period for a suspension should as a minimum be 3 days, much better at 5.

So you need to submit representations based on your narrative, pointing out the totally unreasonable notice given. Don't expect them to roll-over and cancel the PCN. This is 95% a money-making game for them, so they ruthlessly reject virtually ALL representations no matter how valid because they know that >95% of people then cough-up to get the discount.
Although not officially published, the revenues for PCN penalties for London councils and Transport for London are about £650 million a year, hardly conducive to a council considering representations without bias.

Edit
Just to add that the reps you submit will be an "informal challenge" and almost all are rejected as part of their gaming of the system to maximise income. Serious consideration of reps is only given at the Notice to Owner stage. This is sent by post to the registered keeper. So is this you and is the name and address on your V5C up-to-date ?
« Last Edit: Today at 09:23:16 pm by Incandescent »

Re: RBKC PCN 21u Suspended Bay
« Reply #4 on: »
Thank you for this.

The issue I am worried about is that this is a pay-by-phone bay I was parked in.

As a disabled purple resident badge holder I am entitled to park on both resident's bays and pay-by-phone bays without time limits.

However I am worried the council will say that as it's a pay-by-phone bay that their 1 day for posting suspension signs is what I had to abide by even though I was only parked on the pay-by-phone bay because there were no resident's bays available.

Should I lean on the disabled resident angle or is RBKC's policy of posting the suspension sign the day before arguable?

Also yes V5C name and address are all up to date.

Many thanks

« Last Edit: Today at 09:39:28 pm by will1 »

Re: RBKC PCN 21u Suspended Bay
« Reply #5 on: »
IMO, the legal issue is whether taking all the circumstances into account the council gave 'adequate information as to the effect of the order* ...available to persons using the road;'

*- the administrative suspension of the parking place pursuant to enabling provisions in the principal order.

Here there appear to be:
Planned works;
1 day's notice, possibly less;
Implication that the whole parking place was suspended but the regular traffic sign was left uncovered;
Possibility that the council has not complied with its own policy on giving notice of suspension.

IMO, strong grounds for representations.