Free Traffic Legal Advice

Hello,

A parking fine was issued by UKPC on the grounds of having parked in a residential permit area without displaying a permit

While there are designated car spaces behind the building clearly indicating that they are "for residents only" and therefore imply the restriction - there are no signs whatsoever on the other side which is part of the road accessing the area.

The driver looked before leaving the vehicle and made sure there was no sign on that side of the road (the entire side, not just that spot).
The vehicle was parked at the side of the road and NOT at a designated resident parking space - please see attachment showing the position.

Adding to it that it was a Sunday after 6pm where no parking restrictions are in place even in most of London's councils, let alone a road with zero signage on its side.

Nobody wants to risk a ticket on a Sunday when parking is free everywhere - this is clearly a case where there was lack of signs indicating that the side of the road is part of the private land and it was not just the resident parking bays.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1xNIp4-IbEX-yOaH-AQCCa5s6facVnBng?usp=drive_link

In the Google folder link:
- pictures of the fine received by letter
- images from Google Maps showing location and signage
- images from the online UKPC platform showing the evidence they attached to the ticket

Unfortunately the wording on the sign cannot be read, neither in their picture provided as evidence, nor from Google Maps.

I would think this has strong grounds for appeal but I would welcome your advice and feedback from any previous experience with UKPC fines and how enforceable they are.

Thank you very much.

Thank you for the response and apologies for the permissions, you should be able to see the pictures now.

I did read around a bit before creating this, I read mixed comments, some people saying don't pay them it doesn't matter, some others approaching this as an enforceable fine.

They can be beaten by going to POPLA or they are easier to accept the appeals because they make usual mistakes like in this case with signage?

Thank you for your comment.

You say it's not compliant because it fails to explicitly mention the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012?

I googled the compliance rules and spotted that this one is missing.

Please let me know if you noticed something else.

It might not cut any ice with them but hopefully it will do if I end up appealing with POPLA.

What I do want to question though is the note that "if you choose to appeal with POPLA, the charge will automatically increase to the higher rate". Is that even legal? It sounds like an indirect threat to discourage people from appealing tickets??

Thank you all for your responses.

I will appeal this tomorrow on the grounds of insufficient signs - not sure if I should add anything about non compliance.

If anybody has any advice or template wording with any helpful legal references, I would be most grateful to be pointed to them so I can make it stronger and minimise the chances of rejection.

Exactly.

This is the exact route, further down, which leads to the space where the car was parked.

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.5894272,-0.11596,3a,75y,241.24h,76.78t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sbdfzHcokFPiTxZykFl43HA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D13.223827713658949%26panoid%3DbdfzHcokFPiTxZykFl43HA%26yaw%3D241.24294324127!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDMwOC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

There is a sign on the left going down the road - even though not visible at night while one is driving.

And then you turn right at the bottom and that is where the ticket was issued:

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.5893206,-0.1163491,3a,75y,296.76h,65.77t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s8IyuerLpJfJ7PyEVWeDkBQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D24.230863584979474%26panoid%3D8IyuerLpJfJ7PyEVWeDkBQ%26yaw%3D296.75844658654256!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDMwOC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Where the car was parked, the same sign seen in the first link is not present, so the assumption is there is no restriction.

The sign is clearly placed where the resident parking spaces are, and not where the car was left.