Free Traffic Legal Advice

FYI, heard back from Havering 11 Dec rejecting my appeal on the following basis. But as of yet, no NTO received. Any ideas how long this usually takes? I intend to appeal.

Also heard back from Havering today with the pictures, a bit late given the that has passed since the original PCN was issued!



"Thank you for your correspondence challenging the issue of the above Penalty Charge Notice.

I have given careful consideration to all the matters raised in your correspondence. I consider, nevertheless that the Penalty Charge should apply and have rejected your challenge for cancellation for the following reasons.

Your vehicle was parked in an area where parking had been suspended. Temporary signs were in place and your reasons for parking there are not acceptable as grounds for cancellation.

If you disagree with this decision you should take no further action, but wait until the owner of the vehicle receives a Notice to Owner, which is a formal notice of the Penalty Charge Notice. This notice gives the opportunity to make a formal representation, the procedure for doing so will be explained on the Notice to Owner and the case will then be re-considered. You still have the option to refer your case to London Tribunals and ask for independent adjudication. Alternatively, payment of the Penalty Charge should now be made."

Hi all,

This is my draft representation, first time doing this so would be grateful for any advice - perhaps a bit too repetitive? Is it worth getting into the fact that the location on the suspended parking sign is also incorrect?

"I am submitting this informal representations against the above PCN. My objection is based on the fact that I did not receive adequate notice of the temporary parking suspension that was in force on the day the PCN was issued, owing to signage that was unclear, incorrect and, (possibly) missing. Consequently, the authority failed to give me the proper statutory notice required for a valid suspension.

On 9 November 2025, I parked in the bay outside 9 Corbets Tey Road. Before leaving my vehicle, I checked the nearby restriction sign, outside 13 Corbets Tey Road. Although it was a Sunday, I also noted the temporary suspension notice directly beneath it. That suspension sign clearly stated 9–13 October 2025. The dates were clearly expired, so I concluded no current suspension applied. Please see attached for a photo of this sign.

On returning to my vehicle I discovered a PCN on the windscreen. It was then that I discovered that a second temporary-suspension sign was in place at the opposite end of the bays covering the 9 November. 

Regardless of this fact, a driver acting in good faith should be entitled to rely on the sign that is most reasonably observable from the point of parking. There is no duty to search the entire length of the parking area for additional notices when the sign nearest the vehicle appears to give clear and unambiguous information.

Given the incorrect and misleading signage, the suspension was not properly signed and I request that the PCN be cancelled."

Thanks all your your responses.

Below I have set out the full chronology of events taking all my posts into a single one.

On 9 November 2025, I parked in the the parking bay directly outside #9 Corbets Tey Road, being the middle bay of the five available, excluding the disabled bay (as shown between the two tress in GSV).

https://maps.app.goo.gl/2xwZgr9aPtBaBdZN6?g_st=ac

Before leaving my car, I checked the nearby parking restriction board outside #13 Corbets Tey Road (Corals betting shop). As it was a Sunday, the standard Mon–Sat restrictions did not apply. Directly beneath that sign, however, there was also a temporary parking suspension notice. The dates printed on that suspension sign were 9–13 October 2025, clearly long expired. The parking suspension I viewed is below set out in the two links below:

https://imgpile.com/p/uNssZyN

https://imgpile.com/p/yjpgL52

I took this to mean there was no current suspension in effect and continued on my way.

When I returned, I found a PCN on my car as follows:

https://imgpile.com/p/kpuFE4i

A passerby then informed me that there was another parking suspension sign on the lamppost at the other end of the row of bays, outside #7 Corbets Tey Road (the shop being Pink Lily). See below GSV  link of where this located - unfortunately, I did not get a picture of this.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/xuykP54qzQjMd3G29?g_st=ac

That sign — which I unfortunately did not notice at the time I parked — displayed the correct suspension date covering 9 November, meaning the bay was suspended on the day I parked.

This was the first I became aware that two suspension signs were in place, one showing completely outdated dates (October) and another showing the correct, current suspension. Multiple drivers had apparently been caught out in the same way due to the conflicting signage.

To clarify:

The incorrect suspension sign (which I checked before leaving my car) was located outside Corals.

The correct suspension sign (which I did not see) was positioned at the opposite end, outside Pink Lily.

I have requested evidence from Havering, but as of yet have not heard anything back.

I do have a picture of the incorrect suspended parking sign, but not of the correct one.

I appreciate that failing in my representation will lead to having to pay the full £140 fine. But I genuinely do believe I have grounds for appeal. If the sign had been correct, I would have moved my car immediately.

I hope that helps! Any guidance would be much appreciated and apologies if I have not been clear in my previous messages.

Thanks H C Anderson.

To confirm:

On 9 November 2025 (a Sunday) I parked in the parking place o/s no. 9. I noticed a parking place suspension sign placed under the traffic sign situated o/s no.13. This stated a parking suspension between the dates of 9-13 October 2025. As I was not parked within this period and the restriction indicated by the regulatory sign was not in effect, it being a Sunday, I left my car.

On my return I found a PCN which caused me to look at the other traffic sign which carried a suspension notice covering the period in which I was parked on 9 November (unfortunately I did not take a picture of that parking suspension).

According to this page, they do not provide photos as standard for PCN's left on car windows:

https://www.havering.gov.uk/parking-2/parking-tickets-traffic-fines/3

I assume I can still request this information?

@Incandescent, please ignore the actual signage in GSV. I was parked on a Sunday so they are largely irrelevant. There was actually a parking suspension in place at the time (with temporary signs strapped to the lampposts i have set out). The parking suspension sign image I attached in my previous message (there are two pictures in the link) shows there was a parking suspension but is dated back in October.

What i hadn't realised is that the other lamppost had another parking suspension sign which was dated 9 November and within the time I was parked in the bay.

I walked over to the lamppost with the incorrect parking suspension sign and assumed all was fine and carried on as usual.

Hi all,

Looking for some advice on a PCN I received in Sunday 9th November on Corbets Tey Road, Upminster.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/b9q3KUGd2Kq97UHL6

I parked up in the bay directly outside Vita, where the white car is shown within Street View above. I went to check the parking restriction board outside Corals which states Mon-Sat as standard parking restriction and I noticed a parking suspension board, noting the dates ranging from 9 October 2025 - 13 October 2025.

https://imgpile.com/p/uNssZyN

Came back to a PCN and was then notified by a passerby that there was another parking suspension board at the other side (outside Pink Lily, see Street View link below) which states 10 November during the period of time I was parked. They mentioned it as a lot of people had been caught out by the incorrect suspension sign.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/qne9ujLQD9MrgpcJA

I would assume, based on the incorrect parking suspension signage, I have some grounds to contest this? Happy to provide any further details required!

Thank you all!