How can I appeal a parking ticket? Here is how to challenge a fine and avoid penalty points
How can I object to a parking ticket? Here’s how to contest a fine and avoid penalty points
- Here’s how to appeal a parking ticket and avoid potential demerits
Being hit with a parking ticket can arouse the wrath of many motorists as they expect a dreaded fine.
Whether it’s overparking in a supermarket parking lot or parking on a double yellow line, getting a parking ticket is a frustrating experience.
But how exactly can you object to a parking fine? How do you avoid getting penalty points?
MailOnline reveals everything you need to know about signing a parking ticket.
The Citizens Advice Bureau advises motorists not to pay a parking ticket they object to. Pictured: A woman buying a parking ticket through her smartphone (File image)
What are the different types of parking tickets?
How you object depends on the type of parking ticket you have. According to the Citizens Advice Bureau, most parking passes issued are one of the following:
- a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) or an Excess Charge Notice (ECN) – usually issued by the council on public land, such as a main street or municipal parking lot
- a Parking Cost Notification – issued by a landowner or parking company on private land, such as a parking space at a supermarket
- a Fixed fine – issued by the police on red routes, white zigzag lines or where the police perform parking management
The agency advises motorists not to pay a parking fine that they object to. This is because payment by the driver is seen as an acknowledgment that he got the ticket correctly – so you can’t object to it once you’ve paid.
How do you object to a parking ticket
Anyone wishing to appeal against a PCN must write a letter to the council where they have been charged, clearly explaining the reason(s) they are appealing.
If you get an ECN, it will inform you how to appeal, which you have seven days to do.
Motorists wishing to appeal against a parking charge order should first check whether the parking company they have been charged with is a member of an accredited trade association (ATA).
If not, you are advised not to contact them unless they have tried to contact you first.
When it comes to a Fixed Fine Order, drivers should contact the relevant local authority or the police, depending on who issued it.
You can object to all types of parking fines, but this is no guarantee that your objection will be honored by the relevant authority.
The procedure for recording a parking ticket depends on the type of fine you have been imposed. Pictured: A driver using a navigation app to reach his destination (file image)
How can I avoid driving with penalty points?
Common offenses that result in driver demerit points include parking between spaces in public car parks, as well as parking in handicapped spaces if you are not an official blue badge holder.
Another common crime that gets motorists into trouble is speeding. This can be avoided by following speed limits, following road signs and equipping your car with navigation systems that notify you of limits and speed trap zones in certain areas.
Anyone caught speeding is advised to tell their insurance company to ensure their policy is not voided, which could result in any future claims being rejected by the appropriate company.
Another common reason people collect points is that drivers use their cell phones. Anyone behind the wheel should avoid looking at their mobile phone while driving as this could lead to an unnecessary accident.