Council Parking Ticket

[DJP]

Back in December I was on a course and, due to rail strikes, I travelled everyday by motorcycle.

And now, two months later, I've received a Penalty Charge Notice for an unpaid parking ticket... That I never had in the first place.

I've been on the council's website and there's some lovely pictures of my bike including one showing a ticket (or at least a ticket envelope) apparently firmly taped to the speedo. Except that the ticket certainly wasn't there when I came back to the bike.

Now I wasn't aware that I wasn't allowed to park there but I'll take that on the chin, my bad. But obviously, if I'd had a ticket on day one then I wouldn't have parked there for the rest of the week.

Fortunately, the ticket relates to the last day of the course and the council's website currently indicates that it's the only one issued to my bike. But it strikes me that it could be a nice little racket – remove the ticket and then bill the registered keeper double for non-payment later, especially if they park there on subsequent days without realising.

Is that a thing now, or am I just being paranoid? I'll guess I'll know if I start getting more late payment notices for tickets I've never had.

[Countdown]

It's more likely that the ticket blew off or some scrote decided to remove it before you get there for sts and giggles.

IME if you write to the Council and explain that they will give you the chance to pay the discounted amount.

[QJumper]

Just write to the council saying that there was no ticket on the bike when you returned to it, and this is the first you knew of it, and enclose a cheque for the original amount. If they want the excess penalty they'll get to you and ask for it, but chances are they won't.