Free Traffic Legal Advice
Live cases legal advice => Civil penalty charge notices (Councils, TFL and so on) => Topic started by: TrixBear on May 08, 2025, 02:23:02 am
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Hello,
The deadline for paying the discounted amount if I don't take this further is fast approaching (13th July), so I was just wondering if anyone had further thoughts about challenging the initial decision? Would I have a good chance of successfully appealing based on fairness / disability or any other grounds? If yes, could anyone signpost me to examples or something I could use as a template to help with wording the formal representation?
Thanks so much for your time, advice and support!
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Ok, good to know, thank you. I'd definitely appreciate feedback from others whether they think it's worth fighting this further though.
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They often reoffer the discount as otherwise there is no disincentive to go to adjudication, which costs them time and money.
But with the increase in penalties stakes are higher now.
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Thanks. Yeah, it's all rather dismissive! If I do take it to formal stage and it were rejected again, would I then have to pay the full £160 charge?
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That's not nice - they've acknowledged your reason about attention but find it groundless. They also haven't acknowledged you were there for less than 3 hours.
It could be worth having a go at formal stage under fairness/disability grounds - see what others say. Formal reps are often given better consideration.
(https://i.imgur.com/5vk5qFe.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/X78nOTp.jpeg)
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Thanks for the advice. I've finally received a response, which can be read here: https://imgur.com/a/niKdtCS
Unfortunately and as somewhat expected, my appeal was unsuccessful. :-\
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Looks very good - I can't improve on it.
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Thanks all. I don't have a restricted license, no. Here's the draft letter I'm hoping to send tonight:
Dear Islington Council,
I received a PCN (IZ35209471) for parking on a restricted street during prescribed hours, and I’m writing to ask for your discretion in this matter due to my disabilities.
I am a blue badge holder with ADHD, and as you can see from your photos, I was parked on a double yellow line with my blue badge displayed but without the parking clock.
Under normal circumstances, blue badge holders are able to park on double yellow lines for up to three hours if both clock and badge are displayed. However, my ADHD can affect my executive function and memory at times, causing me to be more forgetful and struggle with completing the steps of a simple task like this. It's also worse if I am attempting to complete several tasks at once like I was that day, and I was distracted by the tight schedule I needed to achieve. Therefore, I believe this was the reason I forgot to display my parking clock.
Despite this, I continued to operate under the usual rules for blue badge holders parked on yellow lines and did not overstay the regular 3 hour exemption. As evidence, I have included a screenshot of my Google maps timeline on 6th May, which places my car parked on Market Road for 1 hour and 42 minutes between 12:25 - 14:07.
This screenshot also shows I had multiple destinations / appointments that day, something for which can be challenging for my ADHD. Please see the attached letter as proof of my ADHD and treatment.
I shall be purchasing a wallet that holds both the Blue badge and clock to reduce the chances of this contravention happening again, but please may you take my mitigating circumstances into consideration on this occasion and cancel this PCN.
Thank you for your time
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The OP only has mitigation here. Both evidence of being parked for less than 3 hours and a reason why the clock was forgotten should be mentioned to give the council scope for discretion.
+1
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The OP only has mitigation here. Both evidence of being parked for less than 3 hours and a reason why the clock was forgotten should be mentioned to give the council scope for discretion.
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IMO, your disability goes to mitigation because, as the holder of a - presumably, but pl confirm- unrestricted driving licence you are presumed to be able to understand the rules regarding traffic signs.
I would not lose sight of the fact that you were parked for only 25 minutes when the PCN was issued therefore your forgetfulness/oversight did not lead to a breach of a BB holder's exemption from waiting and no advantage was gained.
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They must consider the nature of disabilities so well worth including this.
What could also be useful to mention to tell them you will take steps to ensure it doesn't happen again - can you think of a strategy that would avoid this - how about a wallet that contains both BB and clock.
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The Maps timeline is good evidence.
Draft something and post here.
Is there a reason you are forgetful with the clock?
Thanks, I'll see what I can do.
I have ADHD which can affect my executive function and memory. It's worse if I am attempting to complete several tasks at once like I was that day, and I was distracted by the tight schedule I needed to achieve.
Have you got any documents to support the ADHD ?
Yeah, I'm officially diagnosed and medicated for it. I'm also on my disability benefits and have mentioned it in the assessments for those.
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The Maps timeline is good evidence.
Draft something and post here.
Is there a reason you are forgetful with the clock?
Thanks, I'll see what I can do.
I have ADHD which can affect my executive function and memory. It's worse if I am attempting to complete several tasks at once like I was that day, and I was distracted by the tight schedule I needed to achieve.
Have you got any documents to support the ADHD ?
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The Maps timeline is good evidence.
Draft something and post here.
Is there a reason you are forgetful with the clock?
Thanks, I'll see what I can do.
I have ADHD which can affect my executive function and memory. It's worse if I am attempting to complete several tasks at once like I was that day, and I was distracted by the tight schedule I needed to achieve.
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The Maps timeline is good evidence.
Draft something and post here.
Is there a reason you are forgetful with the clock?
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This PCN is correctly served I'm afraid - the regulations say you must set a parking clock to get the 3 hour exemption on yellow lines.
You can ask for discretion which Islington may give if you've not done this before in the borough. It would help if you have some proof you were there for less than 3 hours.
(https://i.ibb.co/1tSW0KBD/Screenshot-2025-05-08-at-11-23-49.png)
(https://i.ibb.co/Kz9GV3Vh/Screenshot-2025-05-08-at-11-23-26.png)
(https://i.ibb.co/SDqDSSgf/Screenshot-2025-05-08-at-11-24-07.png)
Ah, that's a shame but I get it. I was hoping they'd applied the wrong contravention code and I could be let off on that technicality.
I haven't done this in the borough before. Do you have any tips on how to ask for discretion? I could provide a screenshot of my Google Maps timeline saying I was there from 12:25 - 14:07, but that's the only proof I have.
Thanks.
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When did you park and what proof do you have, even if circumstantial, e.g. receipt from a shop timed before 12.48, a Ring doorbell record, dashcam etc?
What counts is not that you were parked in total for less than 3 hours but that you were so parked at 12.48.
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This PCN is correctly served I'm afraid - the regulations say you must set a parking clock to get the 3 hour exemption on yellow lines.
You can ask for discretion which Islington may give if you've not done this before in the borough. It would help if you have some proof you were there for less than 3 hours.
(https://i.ibb.co/1tSW0KBD/Screenshot-2025-05-08-at-11-23-49.png)
(https://i.ibb.co/Kz9GV3Vh/Screenshot-2025-05-08-at-11-23-26.png)
(https://i.ibb.co/SDqDSSgf/Screenshot-2025-05-08-at-11-24-07.png)
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Hey folks,
I have received a PCN for parking in a restricted street during prescribed hours; however, I was parked on a double yellow line as a Blue Badge holder and therefore exempt from double yellow line parking restrictions.
I was parked from approx 12:30 - 2pm, so well within the 3 hour limit but admittedly, I forgot to display my clock along with my displayed blue badge. If I appeal this PCN on the grounds the contravention (code 1) didn't occur, could they issue a PCN for that instead?
Also, would my first paragraph be sufficient for a letter of representations along with a closing sentence like 'For that reason, the contravention didn't occur'?
Thanks!
Here is the link to the PCN: https://imgur.com/a/iWmVq6n