Free Traffic Legal Advice
Live cases legal advice => Civil penalty charge notices (Councils, TFL and so on) => Topic started by: hot_chocolate on December 14, 2025, 06:59:24 pm
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I'd be grateful if you could kindly help me with drafting a response. Thank you all.
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I think I'd go on with it given the very short time between the PCN and session.
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Apologies. So, I was shopping with family down Ilford Lane earlier in the day and hence had parked further away from Reads Close. We walked down to Steak Box where we placed our order around 4pm. Given the time it would take to prepare the meal, I decided to go and bring the car near by so that it would be easier for us to leave straight after. Hope that clarifies.
As always, grateful for the help.
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No, I didn't have a booking. It was ad hoc. My car was parked some distance away. After paying around 4pm and asking the cashier about any nearby parking spots, I left my family at the restaurant to bring the car nearby. I left the shop within 20 minutes of starting the parking session at 16:31
I can't really follow this in order to help you put together the most compelling account. Who did you pay at 4pm, why were you parked some distance away and is the shop the Steakbox etc?
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Thanks for your helpful input.
I don't know what the second call was for - it's logged at 17:15. The parking session was activated earlier at 16:31 (according to my app) and 16:32 according to the council.
No, I didn't have a booking. It was ad hoc. My car was parked some distance away. After paying around 4pm and asking the cashier about any nearby parking spots, I left my family at the restaurant to bring the car nearby. I left the shop within 20 minutes of starting the parking session at 16:31. The only evidence for this would be the cctv footage of either the car park or the restaurant, which unfortunately I do not have.
I also noted earlier that Ring Go has a third option for paying: via PayPoint. This, in theory, is also only possible if one exits the car park. There is no PayPoint within the car park itself. This would seem to suggest that there must be some grace period, otherwise it would be quite difficult to reach the nearest paypoint.
Apologies for the images deleting - was being conscious of not taking up space unnecessarily. I've reattached images:
https://ibb.co/vvc7GLpX
https://ibb.co/Crqnqb9
https://ibb.co/DHPMxfYF
https://ibb.co/PZ2Trfhy
Most grateful for the help.
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IMO, although a driver is allowed a reasonable period to pay, it is your burden to prove. It's possible that you might convince an adjudicator just with your assertions and credibility, but as I read your posts the objective evidence doesn't support this.
By the same token, it's initially the council's burden to prove the contravention and as I understand it there are numerous adjudication decisions which find that the grounds of 'without payment of the parking charge' cannot be sustained when the council's policy is:
On-street parking (Pay & Display)
You can park free for one hour in our on-street pay and display bays.
The free session can only be used once per day. After the first hour, you can be charged per hour depending on your location.
You must have an active parking session with RingGo.
However, I don't think this position is universal and adjudicators can be fickle: IMO the credibility of your account could still be in play.
The council's evidence shows 2 RingGo entries from ****090. You say you finally registered by Using her [your wife's] phone, I successfully called the registration number and completed the free parking registration by approximately 4:31pm (see attached image) Is their and your evidence in conflict?
You also refer to 'I took a picture of my dashboard with the time and the pcn side-by-side', but these links have expired.
IMO, any formal reps should prioritise the conflict between the contravention description and the council's policy with the 'reasonable time' aspect secondary. IMO, you should also draw them on whether their case is that you had not parked for more than 1 hour but hadn't registered or whether you were parked for more than 1 hour and hadn't paid the appropriate tariff.
Did you have a booking at the restaurant or was your visit ad hoc?
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My apologies, I completely misunderstood - I uploaded the NtO instead of the earlier rejection letter.
Kindly find the rejection letter now attached:
https://ibb.co/JjF5H6RG
https://ibb.co/wh9FzZGg
Thanks again for all the support.
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Can you post their rejection letter if you haven't already done so. With an NtO, you now need to submit your reps again, hopefully beefed up after reading their previous rejction.
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Hi all,
Hope you're well.
Bumping this up in case it was missed. Thanks as always for the kind support!
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Sorry, I'm sure I had delete after six months! Please find the the new links below.
Thanks again!
https://ibb.co/Y7wGPYPx
https://ibb.co/1fQHRf3h
https://ibb.co/211kfLvL
https://ibb.co/TB0rxtvv
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Post the rejection again as it's timed out (you set it not to autodelete on that site) or use another site.
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Hi everyone and @stamfordman
Hope you're all well.
Grateful for support thus far. Received the Notice to Owner (attached). Would appreciate guidance on the next steps please.
Thanks again!
https://ibb.co/NggvBMSr
https://ibb.co/pBy67RSp
https://ibb.co/DDXNCR6V
https://ibb.co/jkxBw06F
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I don't think it's a car park - code 11 is an on-street contravention.
This means there must be a signed bay.
I'll check the council pics later but yes I can get some cases too.
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Thanks for that. Would you be able to share any cases whenever you get a moment, please?
The third way of paying, via PayPoint, is also only possible if one exits the car park. There is no PayPoint within the car park itself. This would seem to suggest that there must be some grace period, otherwise it would be quite difficult to reach the nearest paypoint.
Thanks again.
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They are being ridiculous in saying you have to pay immediately - that is impossible no matter what method you use, unless you prepay it knowing the location.
I would go on with this - there are numerous allowed cases at the tribunal for such short time to pay where the appellant is seen as credible by the adjudicator.
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Hi everyone,
As expected, the appeal was rejected. The rejection can be viewed below:
https://ibb.co/bgNzgNtM
https://ibb.co/TMRWRPjN
I'd appreciate guidance on the next stage. Thanks!
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as little as a minute...
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Thank you @stamfordman, that is very sharp. Much appreciated!
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I am challenging the PCN because I was in the process of starting a parking session and started one very shortly after the issue of the PCN.
As you can see from the attached receipt the session started at 16:31 and the PCN time is 16:29, which means the difference could be as little as minute.
I left the car because I had trouble using my phone to start the session, but my wife was nearby and we quickly used her phone to register the live session.
As this was a minimal difference in timing and on my understanding that drivers are allowed time to register a session after parking I look forward to your cancellation of this PCN.
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Hi everyone,
Just bumping the above ... grateful for feedback so far. Looking to submit appeal in next couple of days. Thanks.
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Thanks.
@Incandescent What is the law in this case?
@stamfordman thanks - I took a picture of my dashboard with the time and the pcn side-by-side. Of course, this merely suggests that I became aware of the pcn by this time. If they have cctv, then that should verify that I was out of the car park straight after.
https://ibb.co/9krWrhtg
https://ibb.co/PvvBmWnq
Was having a look at the Redbridge website for more info on RingGo - the same info is also in the carpark (https://ibb.co/QvPrwZtQ). Interestingly, the third way of paying, via PayPoint, is only possible if one exits the car park. There is no PayPoint within the car park itself. This would seem to suggest that there must be some grace period, otherwise it would be quite difficult to reach the nearest paypoint.
"You can pay in person with cash, credit or debit card at one of the many PayPoint outlets in the borough.
These are recognisable by the PayPoint logo, typically displayed in the window or on a sign outside the shop.
To use PayPoint for parking payments:
park your car in a “paid for parking” space
note the location code displayed on RingGo signs near to it
go to your nearest PayPoint outlet
tell the outlet that you want to pay for parking and give your location code, vehicle registration number and duration for parking
the PayPoint outlet will create you session and charge you the relevant amount
https://www.redbridge.gov.uk/parking/ringgo-and-paypoint-paying-for-parking/
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No it's not right. I will redraft it for you later. There is no rush as the PCN was yesterday.
Why are you leading with the free hour when you say you went to a restaurant? Do you have proof you were parked for less than an hour?
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Looks OK to me, but don't expect them to cancel the PCN. In all likelihood they will just send out the usual Fob-Off letter. They do this, because then >95% of people then just cough-up to get the discount, not knowing the detail of the law.
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Hi all,
Grateful for feedback so far. Just bumping this to see if anything else to add/remove. Thanks.
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Thanks for your input. Please let me know if you think any further changes are needed to the draft below. Thanks again.
PCN Number: 1F12228449
Contravention Code: 11u
Location: Reads Close, Ilford
I challenge this PCN on the basis that the alleged contravention did not occur.
The PCN alleges a failure to pay a parking charge. However, at this location the relevant parking period was free, subject only to registering the vehicle. No parking charge was payable at the time, and therefore it is not possible for a failure to pay a parking charge to have occurred.
In any event, the PCN records a contravention time of 16:29, with an observation period of only one minute. The parking session was successfully registered at 16:31, meaning the difference between the end of the alleged contravention and the start of the session is approximately one minute.
I had left the vehicle briefly in order to register the session, which was completed immediately thereafter. This falls well within the reasonable time allowed to commence a parking session, particularly where no payment is required. A one-minute gap does not amount to a failure to comply with the parking terms, and issuing a PCN with such a minimal observation period is premature.
For these reasons, the alleged contravention did not occur and the PCN should be cancelled.
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Scrap your challenge.
The PCN time is 16:29 with only 1 minute observation.
Your parking session started at 16:31.
The difference - if end of 16:29 and beginning of 16:31 - is about 1 minute.
You left the car because unable to start it on your phone and your wife nearby succeeded.
This is in the bounds of time allowed to start a session so don't volunteer other details.
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Issuing a PCN in these circumstances is unfair and disproportionate,
So how could a patrolling CEO know you were having problems with your phone, as clearly, you were not by the car using the phone to make payment ? So the PCN was not unfair and disproportionate, was it. What would be unfair, I think, is if the council just send you a Fob-Off letter when you submit reps on the circumstances that gave rise to the issue of a PCN. The sticking point is that your text implies it was your phone that was at fault, as you were able to make payment using your wife's phone, so they may not give way. Maybe check the signal for the network your phone uses. Councils seem to assume mobile phone coverage is 100% everywhere which it most definitely is not.
However, as I see it, the winning point in your text is the contravention on the PCN, and the fact that you parked there for the free period, so how can you have failed to pay the parking charge ?
Wait a bit for others to comment.
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Hi everyone,
Received a ticket in a place with free parking subject to registration. I've drafted my appeal below, and would appreciate any input to help sharpen. Thanks.
PCN Number: 1F12228449
Contravention Code: 11u
Location: Reads Close, Ilford
I wish to formally appeal the above PCN.
On the day in question, shortly before 4:00pm, I parked at Reads Close in Ilford in order to eat with my family at Steakbox, which is located just around the corner. The restaurant staff explicitly informed me that parking at Reads Close is free for at least the first hour, subject only to registering the vehicle.
I moved my car to Reads Close and, at approximately 4:21pm, attempted to register my free parking using the RingGo app. However, the app would not open, and at the same time my phone was unable to make outgoing calls for reasons beyond my control. I spent several minutes attempting to resolve this and looking for alternative ways to register.
At around 4:25pm, I walked back to the restaurant to use my wife’s phone. Using her phone, I successfully called the registration number and completed the free parking registration by approximately 4:31pm (see attached image). When I returned to my vehicle at 4:49pm, I found that a PCN had already been issued.
There was no intention whatsoever to avoid registration or payment. No payment was required in any event, as this is a free parking period, and I made genuine and prompt efforts to comply with the terms. I have a clear history of paying for and registering parking via RingGo and similar systems and have no incentive to avoid doing so, particularly where parking was free.
The alleged contravention occurred only because of temporary technical issues with my phone, and I completed registration as soon as it was practically possible. Issuing a PCN in these circumstances is unfair and disproportionate, as I was acting in good faith and complied with the requirement to register.
I therefore respectfully request that this PCN be cancelled. Please also note that in the case that this is rejected, I will take this to the tribunal.
(https://ibb.co/hFsnTdkn)
(https://ibb.co/6JZZLJcq)
Attachment links, in case doesn't show up:
https://ibb.co/hFsnTdkn
https://ibb.co/6JZZLJcq