Local Authority Parking Ticket Headache

[spinningfish]

Hello guys.

 

So, back in January I was doing some work in Swindon and needed to park my bus. After driving around for half an hour and finding no street parking within walking distance of the job and residents only parking, I decided to park in the local authority car park across the road.

 

The bus didn't fit in one bay, which according to the board contravened the terms of the car park, but I didn't have a great deal of choice and the car park was practically empty, so I bought a ticket and would take a gamble on getting a PCN.

 

After finishing the job and going back to the bus, I did indeed have a ticket, which I had half expected anyway. It gave me 14 days to pay at a reduced rate of £25 and £50 after that point, and within 28 days. If I appealed within the 14 days it would stay at £25 if it was not successful.

 

Using their online system I put an appeal in within the 14 days, as I felt a little hard done by, as there didn't seem to be any provision for vehicles larger than a car. The online system stated I would get a response within ten days. I carried on with life and forgot about it, until...

 

A week ago, a letter from Swindon arrived stating I now owed them £50. It made no reference to my appeal and is the first thing I've heard from them since I entered it online.

 

I gave them a ring to find out what was going on, to be told that they had indeed received my appeal and replied to me on March 8th by email rejecting it. Now, I absolutely have not received any email, or other correspondence from them apart from the letter I received a week ago. I advised the lady of this only to be told that basically it was tough and there was no way to go back to the £25 rate and I would need to stump up £50 now!

 

This seems wholly unfair. Their attitude is 'well we sent the email', so there. Do I have any ground for recourse on this? Fair enough, I've lost the appeal and will now pay, but to lose the right to pay the reduced rate as I've not received their email seems unduly harsh!

 

Many thanks in advance!

[renegadeimp]

What did the PCN state was the contravention?

[spinningfish]

A code 86: Parked beyond the bay markings.

 

Many thanks.

[Jamberson]

You don't have a legal right to get the charge reduced again, but what you can try is sending them a cheque for £25 with a letter saying very sorry, genuine case, please accept the reduction etc. There's a reasonable chance they will.