Free Traffic Legal Advice

Paid £500. Council refunded £250 due to the error described above on their part. Closed

Hi all,

Hoping for some kind advice whilst assisting a friend who is unemployed and struggling financially.

Timeline of events:

• 27/07/25 - Date of fixed penalty notice for alleged littering offence of dropping cigarette butt in heavily littered area. Alleged offender claims unintentional and feels harassed by enforcement officers.
• 04/08/25 – Initial appeal/complaint sent via APCOA online portal regarding incorrect location on FPN (see below). Auto-response acknowledgement from APCOA received on same date.
  
  Quote

  Dear Sir/Madam,
  I am writing to formally challenge the Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) issued to me, going through this process, as I believe it has been incorrectly recorded. On 27 July 2025, I was walking through Lampton Park, located at postcode TW3 4FD. However, the FPN states that the alleged offence occurred in Feltham TW14 0HP, with a completely different postcode. This discrepancy raises concerns about the accuracy of the notice.
  I trust that any available footage or location data will confirm that I was in Lampton Park at the stated time, not in Feltham. In light of this error, I respectfully request that the FPN be cancelled. I look forward to your response,
  Regards
• 13/08/25 - 'Reminder Letter' dated 11/08/25 received in post from Hounslow Council. New FPN dated 11/08/25 (same date as letter) shown on reverse containing corrected location information. Letter states fine 'now increased to £500' (from £250) - without the reduced payment period having been offered for the new FPN as wording suggests. Original FPN number shown as voided when viewing online portal.
• 28/08/25 - 'Final Reminder' dated 26/08/25 received in post from Hounslow Council stating to make £500 payment within 7 days of the letter date to avoid prosecution in Magistrates Court
• 29/08/25 - Subject Access Request (SAR) sent to Hounslow Council by alleged offender requesting all evidence including body footage of enforcement officer for both FPNs.

Notable points:

• Incorrect location on original FPN.
• No response received from APCOA after online portal appeal/complaint on 04/08/25.
• Reminder letter received dated 11/08/25 for a new FPN with correct location - FPN also dated 11/08/25
• New FPN not received at all by alleged offender
• Same reminder letter 'increased fine to £500' without offering reduced charge time period for new FPN
• Original FPN showing as voided after checking manually on online portal
• Payment deadline to avoid criminal prosecution is Tues 2nd Sept
• Mitigating personal circumstances: Alleged offender cites 'severe emotional distress' at the time of alleged offence, which can be supported by Hounslow NHS Mental Health Integration Network (MINT) therapist.

Link to all documents: https://drive.proton.me/urls/S6YCWHK6HR#pYnNBht1Pr80

Clearly this feels like procedural impropriety? Please let me know if you have any advice at all as the alleged offender is otherwise looking to pay on Monday to avoid criminal prosecution. Thank you for your time

On the balance of things, I will pay tomorrow as I personally cannot see anything worthwhile to formally appeal against. Thank you for your post

Location: Felixstowe Road Car Park, Abbey Wood
Date of alleged contravention: 12/12/2024 (20:24)
Date Challenge Sent: 13/12/2024
Date of Challenge Rejection Letter: 26/03/2025

Link to PCN, challenge rejection letter and photographic evidence: https://drive.proton.me/urls/KT5Z4AA8S0#U3zVOhiaGDoI

Google street view: Link here. Note: Car park not built at time of Google street view data collection.

Hi all,

The driver parked in a station car park at 19:25. They remembered later in evening they had not paid and then paid via RingGo app at 21:45 (£2.50 for overnight parking after 18:00). Upon returning to their car at 22:30, there was a PCN affixed to the windscreen of the car (time of contravention 20:24). This car park has changed their operating hours last year as they previously operated only between 8am-6pm every day. It now operated at all times, every day. This is the reason the driver forgot to pay in their haste to catch a train in the evening.

Please note the challenge was submitted on 13th December, but the rejection letter was received much later (dated 26th March). The challenge was a general plea to cancel it as the driver had paid for a ticket before they arrived back to the car, though it was too late.

Please let me know if there is any technical reason this might not be enforceable, otherwise they will pay it by 8th March for the reduced charge of £30. Many thanks in advance

Decided against any appeal and paid the fine in this case

Any thoughts please?

Acknowledgement received by email 07/07/24:

"Thank you for your recent communication.

We can confirm that your appeal has been received and that all action has been suspended pending adjudication. We will endeavour to respond to your appeal within 28 days.

If your appeal has been received within 28 days of issue of the Parking Charge Notice (PCN) and your appeal is unsuccessful, the PCN will revert to the amount outstanding at the point of appeal and the payment terms will be extended.

Please remember to check your junk and spam folders periodically.

Yours sincerely,

Smart Parking Limited"