A case yesterday where the adjudicator was alert to lack of off-street signage.
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Case reference 2250668310
Appellant Mauricio Soffiati
Authority London Borough of Tower Hamlets
VRM FR19YUE
PCN Details
PCN TT60119828
Contravention date 30 Sep 2025
Contravention time 10:27:30
Contravention location Ocean North Estate X213
Penalty amount GBP 160.00
Contravention Parked in a restricted area in a car park
Referral date -
Decision Date 15 Apr 2026
Adjudicator Mackenzie Robinson
Appeal decision Appeal allowed
Direction
cancel the Penalty Charge Notice.
Reasons
Mr Soffiati parked his vehicle on double yellow lines with his blue badge and clock on display. It seems clear that he thought he was parking on a restricted street, using the exemption provided by his blue badge.
The authority contests the appeal on the basis that the area is part of a car park, and the rules of the car park apply even to the double yellow lines. It maintains that display of a blue badge would provide no exemption, because blue badge holders within the car park should park in the designated disabled bays.
I have seen little evidence that this road is part of a car park. I have seen no official plan of the area, or the signage which would normally accompany a car park. The photographs taken by the civil enforcement officer appear to show an ordinary road with double yellow lines combined with no car parking signs in sight.
Assuming that the authority is correct, and this area is part of a car park, the question is whether that was adequately brought to the attention of the driver, so that he ought to have realised the display of his blue badge would provide no exemption from the double yellow lines. Since I have seen no indication of the rules for parking in the area, such as a sign setting out the rules for parking, I do not find that Mr Soffiatt was given adequate information. In those circumstances, no contravention occurred.
This appeal is allowed.
