Hello,
Have stumbled across this website after looking for ways to contest my PCN.
PCN issued for entering a School Streets road during the restricted times. When I received the PCN, I immediately appealed on a number of grounds which I will share below. The council annoyingly replied within a few days and rejected my appeal. I was close to just paying the fine as I am really busy but when I found this forum, I am tempted to appeal again.
This is what I appealed on in my first appeal:
I am writing to contest the PCN for an alleged contravention of a restriction on a road. I was extremely surprised and dismayed to receive this PCN for a number of reasons.
1) As I am not a local resident of the immediate area, nor do I have children who attend the local schools, therefore I was not aware of the School Streets restriction on Douglas Road. I very rarely use this road so I had no idea that restrictions had been put in place for this road or I would have avoided entering the road during the restricted times.
2) The angle of the signage relating to the restriction means the information cannot be read until the driver is already turning into Douglas Road, which in my case, has resulted in a PCN. The signage itself contains specific timings relating to the restrictions which a driver cannot read in advance with enough time to decide whether they can drive into Douglas Road without penalty or continue along Percy Road. It is unrealistic and very dangerous to expect drivers to be able to absorb all the information on the signage before entering Douglas Road.
3) As can be seen from the video footage of the alleged contravention, the car driving behind me was travelling at a speed that may have caused an accident if I had slowed down to read the sign, change my mind and then drive via another route after I had indicated to turn left into Douglas Road.
I trust you will take the points above into consideration and cancel the PCN on this occasion.
Unfortunately, my appeal wasn't successful.
Just for context, I didn't take my usual route on that day to where I was going and did not know there was even a School Streets scheme in place on that road or that there was a school there! I went back to check on the signage leading up to the School Streets road - on 2 occasions, there was a small high lorry which was obscuring the sign but that lorry is not there all the time (unfortunately for me!). I was sure there were no signs leading up to the said road but since I appealed, I went to check and lo and behold - there are two signs - one to say School Streets ahead and the other one with a mini map of which road it will be - this being the sign that is almost covered by the truck when it's there.
So the council arguing that they have signage in place prior to the road is sad but true. However, can I win an appeal on the fact that the signage on the road is facing straight and thus does not give enough time to absorb all the information on the sign and avoid turning into the road?
Unfortunately, the Google StreetView image hasn't been updated to include the School Streets signage so I imagine it's only been active there in the last year or so. I include an image of the first signage that can be seen from Percy Road, which is the road I was driving along before turning into Douglas Road.
I also attach the notice of rejection letter from the council. I only have a few days left to pay for the PCN at the reduced rate of £65. I am also travelling in a few days so need to decide if it's worth taking it further in the appeal process or not.
Many thanks in advance for any help!
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