More parking ticket woes - ideas?
Discussion
Don't know if anyone on here can help but suggestions are welcome.
My father got a parking ticket just over 6 months ago in Waltham Forest. He was visiting a client (he's a surveyor) and had parked in the road in a ticketed bay. He bought a ticket and noted the time. On returning to the vehicle, in good time, he found a WF parking attendent writing out a ticket for being late. He was not pleased. He asked why the ticket was being written too early but was greeted with nothing more than a mumbled grunt.
He returned to the client's property and the client checked the time on her TV on teletext to find that it still wasn't past the time the ticket should run out.
My father decided to contest the ticket and wrote to Waltham Forest council with details of the incident. The reply stated that the time on the PA's machine couldn't possibly have been incorrect as they are calibrated every morning.
He is unsure how to proceed now. He has the client as a witness to the time (although he did not see her check it). With her word against a machine, it would be nice to know how accurately they are calibrated.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Rich.
My father got a parking ticket just over 6 months ago in Waltham Forest. He was visiting a client (he's a surveyor) and had parked in the road in a ticketed bay. He bought a ticket and noted the time. On returning to the vehicle, in good time, he found a WF parking attendent writing out a ticket for being late. He was not pleased. He asked why the ticket was being written too early but was greeted with nothing more than a mumbled grunt.
He returned to the client's property and the client checked the time on her TV on teletext to find that it still wasn't past the time the ticket should run out.
My father decided to contest the ticket and wrote to Waltham Forest council with details of the incident. The reply stated that the time on the PA's machine couldn't possibly have been incorrect as they are calibrated every morning.
He is unsure how to proceed now. He has the client as a witness to the time (although he did not see her check it). With her word against a machine, it would be nice to know how accurately they are calibrated.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Rich.
What's the situation with the appeal at the moment? What actions have been taken?
I assume the parking ticket shows that the purchased ticket had expired? (sorry - you weren't clear...).
www.parkingticket.co.uk and www.pepipoo.co.uk are 2 useful sources of info.
>> Edited by puggit on Wednesday 6th April 14:51
I assume the parking ticket shows that the purchased ticket had expired? (sorry - you weren't clear...).
www.parkingticket.co.uk and www.pepipoo.co.uk are 2 useful sources of info.
>> Edited by puggit on Wednesday 6th April 14:51
Read up on the links supplied by Puggit.
First action after getting ticket was NOT TO PAY and write to the council challenging.
AIUI: If this informal challenge is rejected by Council it should send Notice to Owner Form which should be returned within 28 days with your representations. If they again reject you should recieve a " notice of rejection of representations" and with it a notice of appeal allowing to put you objections (as much evidence as possible)to the independentt adjudicator with 28 days.
In London it is the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service
(www.parkingandtrafficappeals.gov.uk) and out in the sticks National Parking Adjudication Service (www.parkings-appeals.gov.uk).
DVD
First action after getting ticket was NOT TO PAY and write to the council challenging.
AIUI: If this informal challenge is rejected by Council it should send Notice to Owner Form which should be returned within 28 days with your representations. If they again reject you should recieve a " notice of rejection of representations" and with it a notice of appeal allowing to put you objections (as much evidence as possible)to the independentt adjudicator with 28 days.
In London it is the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service
(www.parkingandtrafficappeals.gov.uk) and out in the sticks National Parking Adjudication Service (www.parkings-appeals.gov.uk).
DVD
Hi all, I am the dad with the parking ticket. First, thank you all for your interest.
The bones of the case are that in June 04 I left my car in a Waltham Forest controlled parking zone designated residents only between 10am & 12 noon. When I returned to my car at (as I thought) 9.58 to move it the ticket had just been printed. The ticket was timed at 10.02.
I tried to strike up a light hearted conversation with the attendant but he was clearly focussed on his task and presumably did not recognise my arm waving as a plea for some communication. First he stuck the ticket on the car then he got his camera out and took some photos of the number plate. Then he walked off down the road.
I returned across the road to the house where I was doing a survey by which time the owner of the house was watching the proceedings. I then had a short discussion with her and my work colleague regarding the accuracy of our watches and this culminated in her checking the time on Teletext. According to her Teletext gave it as 10.03. I feel sure that 4 minutes must have elapsed since I first saw the Parking attendant and when I first saw him he was already putting the ticket in the envelope. I felt confident that I could show that the ticket had been printed before the deadline especially as the house owner said she was happy to be a witness.
My initial appeal was rejected on the grounds that attendants machines "are checked daily to ensure that the time is correct" and cannot be tampered with. My response to this was to write again asking how the time is checked. That question has not been answered. Instead I have received a letter stating that I should soon receive a "Notice to Owner" upon receipt of which I can make formal representations.
Apparently they will still accept the discounted payment of £40 if received within 14 days (from 29th March) and I am starting to have doubts about the strength of my case. I am afraid that since time is of the essence in these cases you would imagine that they would need a method of checking that would stand up as evidence in court.
I am coming round to the idea that my point of principle could be expensive!
Thanks again for your interest and please feel free to comment.
The bones of the case are that in June 04 I left my car in a Waltham Forest controlled parking zone designated residents only between 10am & 12 noon. When I returned to my car at (as I thought) 9.58 to move it the ticket had just been printed. The ticket was timed at 10.02.
I tried to strike up a light hearted conversation with the attendant but he was clearly focussed on his task and presumably did not recognise my arm waving as a plea for some communication. First he stuck the ticket on the car then he got his camera out and took some photos of the number plate. Then he walked off down the road.
I returned across the road to the house where I was doing a survey by which time the owner of the house was watching the proceedings. I then had a short discussion with her and my work colleague regarding the accuracy of our watches and this culminated in her checking the time on Teletext. According to her Teletext gave it as 10.03. I feel sure that 4 minutes must have elapsed since I first saw the Parking attendant and when I first saw him he was already putting the ticket in the envelope. I felt confident that I could show that the ticket had been printed before the deadline especially as the house owner said she was happy to be a witness.
My initial appeal was rejected on the grounds that attendants machines "are checked daily to ensure that the time is correct" and cannot be tampered with. My response to this was to write again asking how the time is checked. That question has not been answered. Instead I have received a letter stating that I should soon receive a "Notice to Owner" upon receipt of which I can make formal representations.
Apparently they will still accept the discounted payment of £40 if received within 14 days (from 29th March) and I am starting to have doubts about the strength of my case. I am afraid that since time is of the essence in these cases you would imagine that they would need a method of checking that would stand up as evidence in court.
I am coming round to the idea that my point of principle could be expensive!
Thanks again for your interest and please feel free to comment.
Hello John! 
Please don't bend over and take this up the @rse like most of the great British population.
We must continue to fight these injustices! You have witnesses - therefore you have protection!
Unfortunately I'm no legal expert on these matters, so I will bow to the forthcoming advice from DVD and others. I'd point you back at www.parkingticket.co.uk, which should hopefully set out the process that will take place in your appeal. Don't forget that the process is different inside Commie Ken's Utopia.
I assume your traffic warden doesn't speak English - quite common these days!!!
Whatever you do, don't admit to the 4 minutes elapsing, but bend the truth on the teletext part slightly. You checked the time on teletext, and found the little Hitler to be wrong!
Please don't bend over and take this up the @rse like most of the great British population.
We must continue to fight these injustices! You have witnesses - therefore you have protection!
Unfortunately I'm no legal expert on these matters, so I will bow to the forthcoming advice from DVD and others. I'd point you back at www.parkingticket.co.uk, which should hopefully set out the process that will take place in your appeal. Don't forget that the process is different inside Commie Ken's Utopia.
I assume your traffic warden doesn't speak English - quite common these days!!!
Whatever you do, don't admit to the 4 minutes elapsing, but bend the truth on the teletext part slightly. You checked the time on teletext, and found the little Hitler to be wrong!
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