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Edited to add that the driver had been unable to find a parking place at the hospital. They approached Swinley Lane from Freckleton Street which is exactly opposite the spot they parked at. There are no signs anywhere on that approach from the A49 all the way down Freckleton Street to the junction with Swinley Lane to the location they parked at to indicate any parking restrictions.

GSV: https://maps.app.goo.gl/XX2EcTap9Xm78hE78

That sign is 20m behind the spot and the driver never passed it. The driver turned into Swinley Lane from Freckleston Street and parked exactly opposite Freckleston Street. No "Controlled Zone" signs were passed and the tiny sign you are referring to was not passed or even seen.

The road was covered with snow that morning and any markings were obscured. There markings are obvious in the GSV pictures as they were taken in the summer on a dry day. After the heavy snow that morning, they were obscured.

The photos with the time stamp are from the Warden. The other photos were taken by the driver when he returned to the car and saw the PCN.

Here is the back of the PCN:

Well, OK, give it a go.
Having now seen the back of the PCN it seems to me that the information on the back of the PCN is not compliant with the regulations: -
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2022/9780348232752/part/2/chapter/1
Read Section 3 and compare it to your PCN.
Not conveying what the regulations require is a procedural impropriety and grounds for cancellation of the PCN.

what is an "approved device notice"?

Thank you for pointing that out @Pastmybest. However, on the front of the PCN it states "PCN served on: 17/01/2024". It also states on the front "Date of alleged contravention: 17/01/2024". I thought that "date of service" only applies to documents served by post.

So that I can get my head around all these difference between private PCNs and Council ones, the driver should make representations to the authority about the following facts:

1. Road markings were obscured by snow so there was no indication of a bay.

2. There were no signs indicating that it was controlled zone for parking on the route taken from the A49 via Freckleston Street to the location of the alleged contravention on Swinley Lane.

3. The procedural impropriety that the wrong contravention code has been used. It should have been Code 16, not Code 12.

4. The procedural impropriety that the the PCN should state that payment should be 28 days from the date of "contravention" but instead states 28 days from the date of "service" which introduces the potential for prejudice.

I'm assuming that this is sone using the council website or is it better to send it as a PDF attachment to an email?

So, looking for the key words to use in the representations...

1. Procedural impropriety
2. Inaccurate statutory information
3. Obscured road markings
4. Wrong contravention code

Am I on the right track here?

Based on the information kindly provided, this is a draft of what I am planning to advise the driver to put in their initial reps:

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I am challenging this PCN on the following grounds:

1. Road markings were obscured by snow so there was no indication of a bay and therefore the driver would not be expected to look for any signs. The photographs provided by the CEO do not show any road markings and additional photographs taken by the driver upon discovering the PCN also show that any road markings were obscured by snow.

2. There are no signs indicating that this was a controlled zone for parking along the route taken from the A49 along Freckleton Street to the location of the alleged contravention on Swinley Lane. After returning to the vehicle and seeing the PCN, the driver had to walk over 25m behind the vehicle to see any sign indicating any parking restrictions. The driver never passed this sign when manoeuvring the vehicle in to the location from the junction with Freckleton Street and Swinley Lane. There are no photographs from the CEO showing the vehicle and any sign in the same frame because it was impossible to do so.

3. Contravention Code 12 "Parked in a residents’ or shared use parking place or zone without a valid virtual permit or clearly displaying a valid physical permit or voucher or pay and display ticket issued for that place where required, or without payment of the parking charge” is a procedural impropriety for the following reason: It should be code 16 "Parked in a permit space or zone without a valid virtual permit or clearly displaying a valid physical permit where required"

4. An additional procedural impropriety is that the PCN cites the wrong period for payment. The Civil Enforcement of Road Traffic Contraventions (Approved Devices, Charging Guidelines and General Provisions) (England) Regulations 2022, Schedule 2 paragraph 2(d) state: "that the penalty charge must be paid within the period of 28 days beginning with the date on which the alleged contravention occurred,". The PCN states: "28 days from the date of service", which is wrong and which introduces the potential for prejudice.

Based the above points, I believe that the PCN has been issued incorrectly and should be cancelled.

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Additional evidence will be the drivers own photographs which show an absence of visible road markings due to snow. A Google maps plan showing the route taken from the A49 along Freckleton Street to the parking location on Swinley Lane that shows there are no "Controlled Zone" signs to indicate restrictions on parking. A GSV picture showing there is only one tiny sign along the 50+m stretch of road where the bay is located and that it was 25m behind the alleged contravention location.

If anyone can provide a critique, I would be grateful. Any pointers to the relative legislation would be appreciated too.