Reading Parking ticket

[Andy7807]

Afternoon

 

A colleague has parked in a resident street in Reading, she asked a traffic warden if it was 2 hours free parking and pointed to her car, he said yes. Coming back to the car she found a ticket on it. A local resident passing said that to the right of the sign was residents only, to the left was free parking, apparently several people have been caught out like this. I have enclosed the sign here, very confusing, there are no arrows indicating which way, I expect you should know what it means? Any advice please

[Jamberson]

Signs are ineadequate without arrows. Your colleague should appeal in writing, with an account of what happened and then a statement pointing out that the signage is not adequate to convey the restrictions clearly. Should they turn down the appeal, it will be worth fighting on with this one.

[green_and_mean]

Someone won a case very similar in Reading recently with the same signs I think it was on this forum somewhere.

[Jamberson]

I've found it. There were a few people on the thread who had won PCNs in Valpey Street. Same signage by the looks of it. The thread is here:

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?250584-Confusing-Parking-Sign-leads-to-fine&highlight=arrows

[sailor sam]

Yep, I remember this. The signs are inadequate in this one, deffo appeal on the grounds that there are no arrows indicating which bay(s) to which the signs apply to.

[Andy7807]

Thanks all, I'll look into this and definitely fight this one. Cheers

[Andy7807]

Reading rejected the first letter, now awaiting the NTO to take it further.

[nero12]

Can we see what you went in with please and the reply, a second shot at informal here will deffo help. Sorry to keep harping on about this but get the

 

TRO and all of the enabling paperwork this contravention is relying on

 

You also want to see the CEO's contemporaneous pocket book notes made at the scene -- did your collegue have a witness to this incident.

 

BTW im prety sure readings reg PCN's were duff (I know the reg 10's are/were)

 

can we see a scan of it mate minus your personal stuuf

[Andy7807]

I have a copy of the letter we sent, the reply basically said you were parked in a residents parking bay and you will have to pay the fine, if you want to contest wait for the NTO. I'll get my colleague to bring the Reading letter in tomorrow.

 

Cheers

Reading PCN Appeal.pdf

[sailor sam]

Good, keep us posted.

[nero12]

if you want to contest wait for the NTO.

 

 

 

Rubbish and misleading The PCN should say all appeals will be considered on the back , you can go again at informal as many times as you like right up to the issue of the NTO.

 

They dont have to repeatedly respond however , if the contravention has not occured or there has been an impropriety on behalf of the council -- then you or the registered keeper is perfectly within thier rights to re appeal and to also bring this to the attention of the adjudicator .

 

 

 

In this instance it seems they have not properly addressed the appeal and sent an impersonal template rejection letter. Am I right ????

[Andy7807]

Enclosed repsonse from Council

reading reply.pdf

[Andy7807]

Hello All

 

We have received the second refusal to cancel the ticket from Reading. This one states that all the signs meet and conform to the standards etc. We will take it furtther throught he adjudicator, any advice re what they have said in thier letter with regard to signage?

 

Cheers

Reading pcn Reply 2.pdf

[Jamberson]

They are playing hard-ball. Their rejection hinges on the statement, "Reading Borough Council asserts that it is sufficiently clear".

 

All you can do is take it to adjudication, which I think you should, and see if an adjudicator thinks that. I certainly do not, looking at the image, and I expect you will win at adjudication if it goes that far.

 

Check out the case linked in post 4 above, and see if you can get some useful info there to support your case. I think that case was won after he applied for adjudication - the council backed out at that stage.

[Andy7807]

Took it to the adjudicator and the appeal was upheld. 'The Council decided not to contest the appeal and as such the adjudicator has directed that the appeal is allowed without consideration of any evidence or the merits of the case'.

 

A clear case of the council hoping that you will get fed up / scared and pay up even though they have lost before on this issue, and if you stand your ground for something that is so obviously wrong you can win.

 

Thanks for the advice everyone.

[honeybee13]

That's a good result. Well done to you and all the people who helped you.

 

My best, HB