Local Authority PCN-Help...pretty please

[dandares2]

Hello all,

I would be extremely grateful for any advice that anyone can offer about a Local Authority PCN issued by Aylesbury Vale DC.

My wife parked in a council run carpark where the first hour is free but you still have to display a ticket from the pay and display machine. She had our 3 year old son with her and he decided that it was an ideal time to announce that he desperately needed a number 2 (kids eh?). Seeing as there was a toilet right next to the pay and display machine they quickly nipped in before they got a ticket. My wife got her free ticket immediately after but by the time she got back to the car there was already a PCN attached to the windscreen. They can only have been gone a few minutes but apparently a Civil Enforcement Officer (??!!) had observed the car for 5 minutes and then issued the PCN.

I am very doubtful that the clock in the pay and display machine is correct also because the free parking ticket issued states a time 5 minutes after the PCN was "served".

The PCN seems to have all the right words on it, it refers to the offence as a contravention and has the date it was served, so not much joy there.

I have already emailed the council contesting the PCN and asking them to have some understanding but I would love to have a bit more ammo to stick up them!

My gratitude would be boundless!!

Many, many thanks.

[green_and_mean]

Looking at it from the Councils perspective all you had to do was go to the machine and get a free ticket which you failed to do. Your child needing the toilet could have waited another minute, what would you have done in other circumstances such as shopping in a supermarket or driving along a busy road? The only hope as far as I can see is for an error in the wording of the parking regulations since your ticket is free and not a pay and display it often allows for errors in wording.