Right, here goes!
Got a ticket from police last week: see attached image of ticket.
This was outside a school next to my parents' house. It's a very quiet road apart from the school, only two house on it. Space outside my parents' for 3 cars but as they had company on the day I got the ticket, I parked the other side of their neighbour's drive, on yellow zig zag lines. Was totally shocked when my grandad pointed out a policewoman was looking at my car. Went out and she handed me attached ticket. In order to write the ticket the police car was parked beside mine on the other side of the road therefore blocking the WHOLE road so nobody could get by at all. At this time there were many other cars parked on the zig zags up and down the road as it was school pick up time.
I have searched online a bit for rules re the zig zags and reasons for them. General thing I found was that they are there so children can cross the road safely (i.e. not between cars/unseen). Where these zig zags are, there is not actually another side to the road - there is just a hedge right up against the curb. So there is nowhere for children to cross to - and therefore they don't cross!! There is actually a subway for children to cross under the road (and one parallel to it) to the estate on the other side. Only part of that road that children do cross on is about 200 yards further up where there IS a pavement on the other side.
There are no time limit/day restriction signs up.
Family have been asking various PCs and PCSOs about the rules and they are very unclear and vague with their answers. One PC said buses are exempt from this rule. The school bus that takes children to swimming lessons parks on there too - when we asked him if he should park/wait on the lines he said "oh no not really, i shouldn't be".
Where can I look up the precise ruling these? From what I have seen, I am not sure the lines should be there in the first place, or even stand legally. Can't see any point with them at all! I've read the lines should be clear to see/read and unbroken, this is not the case either.
Any general advice on whether I would stand a chance appealing this? I am told on the back of the ticket I have two options; pay it or appeal and go to court for it. However, it does say on the ticket that "any other correspondence should be addressed to the Central Ticket Office at the address shown below within 28 days" - is this an invitation to appeal in writing without going to Court??
I may have missed something to please ask questions if something is not clear. Many thanks in advance.