Free Traffic Legal Advice

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Unfortunately, I parked and thought it was pay after parking. Clearly, I misread the sign and only paid when I got back to car, to find out I had already received a ticket

I received a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) from Manchester City Council for allegedly parking without payment at Thurloe Street Car Park at 23:37 on 22/01/2025. However, I made a payment for parking at 00:06 on 23/01/2025, which I assumed would cover my stay.

At the time, I believed payment could be made upon return. There were no clear signs stating that immediate payment was required upon arrival. I genuinely intended to pay and did so as soon as I was able. The PCN was issued only 29 minutes before my payment, which I feel is unfair.

Uploaded Evidence
PCN Image (attached)
Bank transaction screenshot showing payment made to Manchester City Council at 00:06 on 23/01/2025

https://maps.app.goo.gl/TvgdyXF9c8R9ncjP6

Do I have strong grounds for an appeal?
Has anyone successfully appealed under similar circumstances?
Should I argue based on unclear signage, or would mitigating circumstances be enough?
Would really appreciate any advice! Thanks in advance.

I completely get that I should have been more attentive with this big ass sign but I was not.



Do you think this will help?
I am writing to formally challenge PCN MC82054700, issued on 22/01/2025 at 23:37 at Thurloe Street Car Park for “Parked without payment of the parking charge.”

Grounds for Appeal
1. Poor Visibility & Readability of the Parking Sign
The signage at the car park entrance is not illuminated, making it difficult to read, especially at night. Given that my vehicle was parked at 23:31, the visibility of the instructions was significantly reduced. Under the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD) 2016, parking restriction signs must be clearly visible in all lighting conditions.

2. Unclear Time Requirement for Payment
The sign states that "a parking session must be purchased at the time of entry", but it does not specify an exact timeframe. Many car parks allow a short grace period for drivers to read the terms and make payment. I genuinely believed that making a payment within a reasonable timeframe (such as 30 minutes) was permissible.

3. Insufficient Grace Period Before PCN Issuance
The Civil Enforcement Officer (CEO) observed my vehicle for only 6 minutes before issuing the PCN. A grace period should have been given to allow me to park, read the sign, and arrange payment. I was not given a fair opportunity to do so.

4. Genuine Mistake & Payment in Good Faith
I paid for my parking session at 00:06 on 23/01/2025, which is only 29 minutes after the PCN was issued. I did not intend to avoid payment, and my immediate action to pay proves this. Given that I did make payment, the penalty is disproportionate to the alleged contravention.

Request for Cancellation
In light of the above, I respectfully request that this PCN be cancelled as the penalty is unfair given:

Poor visibility of the sign at night
Vague wording regarding payment timing
The lack of a grace period before ticket issuance
My good faith payment, demonstrating no intention to avoid the charge
I have attached my bank transaction screenshot as evidence of my payment. I kindly ask for your understanding and a fair resolution.

As you don't appear to have a leg to stand on, I suggest that you simply accept responsibility and ask them to exercise leniency. I just wonder how this could be made as compelling as possible.

I parked and thought it was pay after parking. Clearly, I misread the sign

So you did see and read the sign..so much for lighting issues. But why did you only scan read? Do you use city car parks often, is this one different e.g. others are pay on exit etc? If so, could this be put forward as mitigation. (seems that city council car parks are all pay on arrival: https://www.manchester.gov.uk/directory/52/car_parking/category/1788/categoryInfo/136

So if you don't live in the area are those where you live pay on exit? I'm simply exploring what you could say e.g. your expectation etc.

You paid after the PCN was issued and left soon after.
Given that you were only parked for a relatively short period then if you'd intended to chance your arm at this late hour then you wouldn't have paid after seeing the PCN. You acted in good faith - that is paying what was due- your error was simply that this was done late.

Some thoughts for this stage.