Dear Sir,
PCN ********
I refer to the above and the NTO issued on 1 October 2025.
The alleged contravention relates to a 'waiting' restriction which the council is obliged to convey to motorists. The normal manner is by the use of yellow lines, however, in limited and specified circumstances the council may omit these indicators. These are:
Restricted Parking Zones(RPZ) (as defined by Schedule 1 to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 - the Traffic Signs regulations), and
Pedestrian and Pedestrian and Cycle Zones(PZ) (as defined by Schedule 1 to the Traffic Signs regulations).
In either case, the prescribed traffic signs include a symbol for 'No waiting', something with which the council is fully aware. As regards a RPZ, this symbol is mandatory and forms an integral part of the prescribed sign whereas with a PZ the inclusion is optional as the PZ sign itself is prescribed only for moving traffic restrictions.
Turning to the authority's evidence, this comprises several clear photos of my car waiting on a road without any yellow lines, indeed the authority does not argue the contrary in their letter dated **** which erroneously rejected my informal representations. The photos also include a clear PZ sign. However, as can be seen this does not carry the optional 'no waiting' symbol and therefore as a matter of legal interpretation does not convey a waiting restriction within the zone.
It was irresponsible of the authority to reject my previous representations based upon an incorrect use of the term Restricted Parking Zone which flew in the face of its own evidence. I sincerely hope that this error is not repeated in the response to these representations which may only be that the PCN is cancelled. Whether you wish to inform your colleagues within the traffic management section that the sign needs changing(to the form which GSV shows existed until as recently as October 2023 ) at this point or wait until an adjudicator allows an appeal, I leave to you.
In short, when the council changed the restriction from Pedestrian and Cycle zone to Pedestrian Zone i.e. to ban ridden cycles, it changed the sign but omitted to include the mandatory 'No waiting' restriction on the new PZ sign, therefore rendering enforcement of waiting restrictions unlawful.
...some thoughts
