Forum Topic

Evidence Request. Visitor Tickets 1 hr am pm CPZs

In CPZs with a 1 hour am and a 1 hour pm restriction (eg zones JJ and W and others) you are requested on the visitor ticket to scratch out your "time of arrival". My friend did just that at 11 am (after the 9 to 10 morning restriction) when he arrived to visit in Zone W. He followed the council instructions and scratched 11 am. That was his time of arrival. The pm zone hour was 3 to 4 pm and he received a ticket (PCN). He has written in and his Ealing appeal has been refused. I raised this at CPZ scrutiny and by letter to parking services. I am receiving conflicting statements from parking services. So anyone out there caught by the same ticket design error?

Arthur Breens ● 5796d12 Comments

None of my visitors have been caught out, no, but I completely agree with you about the wording on the voucher, which is more than misleading - it's downright incorrect.I can't say I'm surprised by the council's refusal to give way. You can just imagine their reasoning; "but we don't care about time you ARRIVE". Well, why flippin' word it like that then?! They have absolutely no excuse not to change the wording.

Alex Weel ● 5795d

Why not appeal again copying in the portfolio holder. this used to work with the previous administration.

Peter Chadburn ● 5795d

The council will 99.9% of the time reject an appeal just don't pay up and insist you are still appealing they will refuse again and you carry on stating you want to appeal and finally PATAS will most probably agree with you and the council will then back down.  I know I have done this on more than one occasion and I have yet to lose an appeal.

Bernie Paul ● 5795d

The reason we used to copy in the portfolio holder was that they had to find a genuine reason to reject your appeal and so had to tell the truth!! so it was amazing how much more reasonable their replies became.

Peter Chadburn ● 5795d

Don't forget that if all else fails there is the Local Government Ombudsman. Note, if you DO win at some r down point further down the road there is nothing to stop you making a claim through the Small Claims Court for the lost  time at some reasonable rate per hour... There have been some successes of this sort against Ealing Council I believe.

Jeff Belsen ● 5794d

Arthur,You are aware that the design of the current vouchers were inherited. We are going to change them to make them easier to use - simplifying them so there is no confusion for who wish to use them.Best wishes,Bassam

Bassam Mahfouz ● 5794d

This sounds like a valid reason then for the parking people to accept an appeal. perhaps my point about copying in Bassam now and also printing off his post should signify that there is something wrong. We often used to get rejected despite tickets being given out wrongly. so a second appeal was always worthwhile, copying the portfolio holder ensured that the appeal was looked at properly. My late girlfriend found that her disabled badge was often ignored or because it was not at the right angle they would still give a ticket. The ticket guys were fit and able, she was struggling with limited lung capacity. So we just appealed until they grudgingly used their discretion whithout admitting that they were at fault.

Peter Chadburn ● 5794d

I do sympathise with your plight.  I never ever trust CPZ's and the over zealous traffic wardens (or whatever they are called these days!) who prey, like tigers do, on their kill - the motorist.  I would advise that the best way to overcome this sort of stress and financial burden would be to cycle to and from friends houses who live in CPZ's. Not much good now,I know, but if it saves you another ticket then I hope it is worth it.

Lucian Lever ● 5794d

If the Council acknowledge the wording is confusing and they are changing them why are people still receiving parking tickets when they have obviously misunderstood?

Jane Salisbury ● 5793d

Very many thanks to all who have written in. Clearly the conflict of a senior officer's comments ,his email and my friend's experience indicate that something must be done.  Incorrectly issued tickets and local appeals can't be left to officers. When the system changes in Jan it might be sensible to have a resident panel adjudicating written appeals,(and designing less ambiguous tickets). These tickets will continue after Jan anyway because we all have stores of these current models.

Arthur Breens ● 5793d

Arthur,This sounds very much like Mr Cameron's 'BIG SOCIETY'!

Eric Alan Leach ● 5791d

Eric I don't know about "BIG SOCIETY" but it seems like a "BIG IMPROVEMENT" to me.

Arthur Breens ● 5791d