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jim_tim
Hi,

A week ago on Saturday (22nd October) I received a parking ticket (attached/below). It was in a car park at a local train station. It's also close to some shops on a main street so people use it quite a lot because it's cheap and convenient.







It used to be 20p for 30 mins. I had 20p and arrived in the car park just after 5pm (5:06pm to be precise). I got out of the car and walked over to the meter to pay the 20p. I noticed they increased the tariffs slightly - now 30p for 30 mins. After searching in my pocket and wallet I realised that I annoyingly didn't have any more change.

I'd only stopped in the car park to pick up some small items from a local shop (toothbrush, toothpaste etc).

So I quickly ran to get some money/change so I could put money in the meter. I thought I'll grab a coffee after I've paid the meter to take advantage of the 30mins I'd be paying for. I got to the cash machine - about a 1min quick walk/run away from the meter - there was a very small queue. I probably waited for the two people in front of me for no more than 2mins. I got £50 cash out of the ATM then quickly ran to the shop to grab some change so I could put "30p" in the meter.

Now, I have no idea how I could've got hold of some petty change any quicker than what I did. However, I got back to my car to see that some eagle-eyed parking attendant has wasted no time in slapping a PCN ON MY WINDSCREEN!! mad.gif

How on earth could I have abided by the rules here? I literally RAN to the cash machine, RAN to the shop, got change, then RAN back to my car.

Are we now saying that if you turn up to a car park with no change 'ready', you instantly receive a parking fine. This is utterly crazy!

I was observed from 5:07pm (literally just as I parked) and received a ticket at 5:12pm. I got back to my car just after this but the parking attendant had clearly legged it!
stamfordman
QUOTE (jim_tim @ Mon, 31 Oct 2016 - 19:08) *
Are we now saying that if you turn up to a car park with no change 'ready', you instantly receive a parking fine. This is utterly crazy!

I was observed from 5:07pm (literally just as I parked) and received a ticket at 5:12pm. I got back to my car just after this but the parking attendant had clearly legged it!


Afraid so. This is the same with any meter. If you were a CEO and saw a car with no payment and no person for 5 mins what would you do?
Incandescent
+1
Unfortunately many appeals at adjudication have failed on just this subject. Time spent going to pay at the machine, paying and then returning to the car with a ticket is allowed as it has to be, but adding in a "going to get change" stage is not. Would that it were !!

There is nothing at all to stop you making an appeal based on what you have told us here, namely you turned up with what had been the right change, only to find the fee had gone up by 10p. You then ask for the PCN to be cancelled in these circumstances. You never know they may accept it, but I'm afraid all councils are very greedy organisations nowadays, and the public interest is no longer their interest.
jim_tim
Thank you for the feedback guys.

I just think it's disgraceful. I'm a young man, so was able to be pretty quick getting the correct change for the meter. What about elderly people? Or non able bodied people who turn up to a car park without the correct change - who may take even longer than I did? According to this system it's an instant PCN for going to get change with the intention of paying to park.

Utterly nonsensical.
Incandescent
It may be nonsensical, but that is the way it works and many adjudications over the years since de-crim parking came have ruled that going for change is not allowed, you have to have the correct money when you park the car.
hcandersen
OP, you either have the correct change or you don't.

If you don't, then you move your car, you do not leave the car park. Whether you're Valery Borzov (one of my favourites) or Tommy the Turtle doesn't matter.

To be blunt - and I find this helps to cut through the froth - you have no case on these grounds, so leave it.

Is there anything else for us to work on?
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