Free Traffic Legal Advice

If you can show us a draft of what you have so far we can offer feedback.

Ive left it a bit late due to some unforeseen issues the last couple of days. Here is a draft:

Dear POPLA Assessor,

I am formally appealing the Parking Charge Notice issued by PPS at Bushey Medical Centre. This charge is unjustified, and I request its cancellation for the following reasons:

1. Use of Disabled Bay with a Displayed Blue Badge

I parked in a designated disabled bay, displaying my father’s valid Blue Badge in accordance with all requirements. Due to limited space left by the adjacent vehicle, I positioned my car at a slight angle to facilitate my elderly father’s safe and accessible exit. This minor adjustment was necessary given the bay’s restrictive layout and adjacent parking constraints.

2. Inadequate Signage Specifying Parking Requirements

The signage directly above and around the bay where I was parked does not explicitly state that vehicles must park strictly within the bay lines or that angled parking constitutes a violation. The only relevant signage pertains to parking on yellow lines or obstructing pathways, neither of which applied to my vehicle’s position. Based on the signage provided, no enforceable terms relate to the alleged contravention, making this charge baseless.


As indicated in the attached images, the only signage near my vehicle, accessible to a blue badge holder, mentions a charge for parking in a disabled bay without a visible blue badge. I, too, hold a blue badge due to my own mobility issues, and it is unreasonable to expect a disabled motorist to cross the car park to review other signs. The alleged contravention of "Parking in No Parking area" is unsupported by any definition of "No Parking areas" in the signage. Additionally, other signage mentions charges for parking on yellow lines or causing obstructions, neither of which were relevant in this case. I am being accused of neither. These signs are also only strictly positioned in locations around the car park where there are double yellow lines- there are no double yellow lines in or around the bays where I parked.


A motorist cannot be held to non-existent contractual terms.

3. Lack of Obstruction and Minimal Duration

My vehicle was parked responsibly to ensure accessibility without obstructing other bays or paths. I was inside the facility for under five minutes to accompany my father and did not cause any obstruction to other vehicles or access routes.

In summary, my actions were compliant with the visible conditions at the site, ensuring both safety and accessibility. Given these facts, I request this charge be canceled as it fails to meet POPLA’s requirements for contractual clarity and enforceability.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Thank you for the photos and the timeline. You now have until Tuesday 29th October to submit an appeal to POPLA. We will put something together for you in plenty of time.

Should I use the pictures taken and the direction kindly provided by DWMB2 to go to the POPLA website to submit something? Still have until Tuesday. 

As you enter the site there is a sign there. It's the one where they tell you not to obstruct or park on yellow lines.









From what I can see, they only put the 'do not obstruct + do not park on yellow lines' signs right next to where the double yellow lines are. No where else. So I would assume by placing these signs only where there are yellow lines, they are advising not to obstruct in those areas/park on double yellows and in a sense have cornered themselves as our car was not parked on any yellow lines or causing an obstruction in any of those locations- based on their signage

I will be there tomorrow myself so will take pictures of all the signage. Will update.

Thank you for the photos and the timeline. You now have until Tuesday 29th October to submit an appeal to POPLA. We will put something together for you in plenty of time.

Thank you kindly and the help is more than appreciated.

their own response admits their signage doest contain a term requiring drivers to park within a marked bay

This was the very first thing I thought whilst reading their response. Had to read is a couple of times as it was as you say an admission of not being an explicit term/condition.

If it is relatively convenient for you to acquire them, photos of the signs would be very useful.

If, as mickR notes, the alleged contravention is not on the signage, this is an important point to emphasise - the £100 charge is for failing to comply with the terms and conditions offered in the contract, if the term you are alleged to have breached is not in the contract, this is a key point. They seem to be seeking to argue that this is an implied term, but I can't think of a good reason not to include it in the signage, as most parking companies manage to do.

An unrelated point whilst I remember: has the medical practice been approached yet, to see if they will get the charge cancelled? This is always worth a go.

Ive requested them today from a family member who is closer. Will post up as soon as I receive them.

Great advice and yes we did approach the medical practice but they said they would not help or intervene.

To help us help you, please read the following thread carefully, and provide as much of the information it asks for as you are able to: READ THIS FIRST - Private Parking Charges Forum guide

The guide includes advice on using a third party site to add images.

Apologies, I should have read this.

Hi all

Hoping to get some help.

Wife took her elderly father to GPs. He holds a blue badge so she parked in a disabled bay. She parked the car at an angle so there was enough room for her to help him get out of the car. This was because a) these disabled bays are quite small and tight, b) the car to the right seemed to be quite close to/positioned more to edge of the bay next to wife's car so if she parked straight, there was no easy way for her elderly father to get out. looking at the pictures again, I just think the bays are tight. She displayed the badge correctly.

They were in a rush for his appointment/running late and they were inside for less than 5 minutes.

She should have lost another 30 seconds and moved the car and straightened it out once she helped him out of the car.

I will attach the original PCN, images, my response which was submitted via their appeals form and their response.

I should have posted on here or asked for advice before sending my first appeal.

Moving forward, do we have any grounds to appeal further?

Thanks for the help