LBHF Rivercourt Road PCN (parked without p&d) Options

[SevenUp]

I teach in the school directly next to Rivercourt Road and sometimes have to drive to work.

I normally either park on Rivercourt Road, or on one of the streets on the otherside of the A4 (next to the river) as the school has another site there (with a connecting tunnel under the road).

As such, I am well aware of the parking restrictions - indeed I used to have to find 17 quids worth of coins waiting for the archaic lbhf to update the area to pay by phone which it finally did quite recently.


There is an issue with the current system that LBHF use for pay by phone (Ringgo).

The parking restrictions are from 9am - 5pm but I have to arrive at work for 8am - I park my car then head into school.
The old coin operated p&d machines are still around, whilst accepting coins at that time will not charge the period from 9am to 5pm but start charging at 8am so in order to get to 5pm, you have to pay more!

As I cannot leave school once I'm in (due to teaching!) and I am not prepared to pay more than is due for parking, I cannot use the machines to pay for parking.

That leaves pay by phone. Infuriatingly, the app will not let you pay for parking at 8am. This seems completely ridiculous to me as it is perfectly reasonable in my view to expect that the app will allow you to pay for the 8 hours parking you require when you arrive at 8am before leaving your vehicle.

As it does not, it is then up to you to remember at 9am to log onto the app, wherever you are, and pay for the parking then. This is assuming that I have good phone signal / wifi etc / not to mention the fact that I'm at work and supposed to be teaching!


As it happened, on this particular day for a combination of reasons, I was not able to get onto the app until 9.55am, at which point I paid up and settled the parking.

Obviously I was completely unawares that a pcn had been issued 8 minutes previously as I wasn't able to leave the school - although I do admit I had worrries that it was likely I would have been issued a pcn due to being 55 minutes into the charging period.


I realise that I am probably bang to rights here because it's driver's responsibility to ensure parking is paid blah blah - but I do feel that I have been obstructed somewhat in trying to do that and that my set of circumstances make the PCN a little bit unfair.

I'll happily pay the extra 55 minutes of parking that I didn't pay and I have a history of receipts from Ringgo showing that I always pay for my parking when working at school if that stands for anything?!


Here's the PCN incase there's anything else that might help my case...

Would really appreciate any advice that you can give me.

Thanks


This post has been edited by SevenUp: Sun, 19 Nov 2017 - 14:19

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[hcandersen]

Something's not right here, and not just the OP's predicament.

We need up to date photos unless GSV is accurate in every respect.

South of the GWR the restrictions on either side are different:
West: 24/7 shared use, max stay for P&D 8 hours;
East: Mon-Fri 9-5 restriction, max stay P&D 8 hours

The latter is a superfluous addition because the restriction itself applies for only 8 hours. Max stay for less than 8 hours makes sense, but 8 hours doesn't.

Moving north of the GWR:
West and East are shared use 9-5, so there's no logical reason for the machine or PBP to not accept payment at any time but allocate to the chargeable period unless the council have a twisted idea that the 8-hour limit in some way applies to unrestricted as well as restricted periods.

OP, have you written to enquire?

[stamfordman]

I see your problem with Ringgo - H&F does allow advance payment in some locations (mainly car parks I think) but not in most of the on street locations. Why, I can't imagine - I thought the whole point of the system is convenience for all concerned, as you can certainly top up the session before it expires.

As you missed the ticket by 8 mins you may lucky with a one off appeal to H&F on the basis of being a local key worker and the issue with lack of advance payment.

In addition, check what HCA says about the bays.

[SevenUp]

Thanks for your responses.

Right so I have just realised that I wasn't even parked on Rivercourt Road - the CEO has made an error, I was in fact parked on Weltje Road!


GSV: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.4931773,-...3312!8i6656

I was parked next to the machine.


I have attached council pics below.



I am assuming then that I simply write to say...

Dear LBHF

I write to ask that you cancel the PCN above that was clearly issued in error since my vehicle was not parked on Rivercourt Road W6 at any time on 15/11/2017.

Yours Sincerely

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[stamfordman]

Wrong location should be fatal in this case. Lucky escape.

I would contact them about the Ringgo issue separately. It's worth knowing if this is a technical issue, an oversight or deliberate.

This post has been edited by stamfordman: Sun, 19 Nov 2017 - 16:36

[hcandersen]

OP, you eant to nip this one in the bud, so make an effort.

The person looking at your challenge would be in an office. They would have the CEO's notes, the PCN, the photos and your challenge. So,why should they believe you when you say that the location is in Weltje Rd? They're not going to look, so lead them by the nose.

...Weltje Rd... as can be seen in the enclosed attachments which are the authority's photo of the traffic sign, in the background of which can be seen the distinctive if hideous features of Premier Inn Hammersmith, and a GSV of Weljte Rd showing the same traffic sign and building. The CEO has clearly made a mistake and the PCN must be cancelled.