Just to tie up this thread. I have just received notice back from PATAS. They have allowed the appeal on the grounds that the contravention did not occur, the explaination was because the Council did not bother to send a copy of the PCN so the adjudicator just threw it out. This to me indicates that the council knew they would not win so discontinued to follow up on it, why they allowed it to go to PATAS also indcates to me that they thought if they rejected my first appeals that I would just pay up, most people do! In a way I am disappointed that they didn't send in a copy of the PCN because I am still convinced that I would have won, but I will never know for sure. Thanks for all your help LoveableRogue

Thanks for those snippets LovableRogue, I'm sure they'll be useful when I compose my letter tomorrow.

I have no choice but to appeal, otherwise pay £100. The bitch part about it all is that- 1. I normally walk out of the gate for my ciggies, but I wasn't feeling too great and it was very cold that day so I drove my car out. 2. I don't normally go out for one that close to the end of the day but the computers were all against me that day so I was stressed and needed to clear my thoughts (I'm an ICT Technician at the school, but don't hold that against me!!) 3. I was stressed and not thinking clearly when I looked at the sign, at one of my other schools you are ok up until 14:45 and I just guessed at that. 4. I wasn't obscuring or obstructing anything and I was back on school premises 45mins before the little darlings had even got their coats on. Basically I was having a bad day all round!! Any extra thoughts on which part of the Traffic Signs Regulations act that are rellevant would be appreciated so I can quote them. I'm going to appeal on the grounds that "the alleged contravention did not occur" because "the parking restriction was not properly signed"

where did you get the idea I was parked for 15mins from? I literally smoked my ciggie and pulled back into the school premises. I don't know if you smoke or not, but 4mins is about all it takes for me to smoke one. this is a link to the photo http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3290/2350991026_fa65c37c21_b.jpg

This is true, and when I went back and took the photo I did look for another one and I was stopped during the restricted time, my point is though is I pulled out of the school and pulled up and checked the one sign and couldn't read it. Looking at the times of the photos of the contravention, there was only 14seconds between photos so I would not have had time to check the other one anyway! Surely BOTH should be readable anyway

On 14/01/08 at 14.39 I stopped outside one of the schools I work at for a quick ciggie and to make a phone call, I stopped partly on the zigzag lines. I did check the restriction time sign but it had a "wet Paint" sticker on it covering the time the restriction ended. I work at another school where I know the time restriction is only for beginning and end of school, from 14:45 until 15:30 in the afternoon, so I thought it would probably be ok for my quick ciggie etc. I have a photo of the sign with the sticker covering the end time, but thinking about it and looking at the photo, I realise this restriction is all day until the end time. I am now at the stage where I have recieved the "notice to owner" and need to make representations. I'm not sure what to write to them, whether to mention the time plates at the other school, if they know I work at the school I wonder if they will say I should have known the time restrictions. Whether it's worth pressing I was only partly on the zigzag and only there 5 minutes. I have looked online to see if I could quote from the traffic acts the responsibility of the council to maintain their signs and ensure they are legible, but I can't find anything suitable, though I wonder if this will get their backs up and make them more unlikely to cancel the PCN. In my original letter to them I did mention it though, and that had I been able to read the time restriction sign then I would not have stopped their, which is true, this is in London Borough of Bexley and I know how hot they can be. Any input and assistance in what to put down as my representations would be much appreciated.