Hi Pepipoo! I have to start by thanking all of you who have helped with a case or two in the past!

Last night however, I was stung again. This time in St James Square, London - just off Charles II Street. The Contravention (Code 12R, Parked in a residents bay).

I regularly drive up to London of an evening and park in St James, where you can use many spaces after the charging hours of 'Mon - Sat 8.30am - 6.30pm'.

As per usual, I parked in a space which I genuinely thought was freely available to be shared in the evening. However when I got back to the car I found this PCN (Pictures below) on my car. The signage is quite confusing because the "Resident permit holders only" signs either side of the bay I had parked in were more than 4 spaces away either side. The signs have no times on, but one of them is no more than 2-3 metres away from a pay and display meter.

I have taken photos around the car from my phone (bad quality due to darkness) which I will upload if anyone needs. Further, the Google Map Streetview is very much out of date to the current layout, so I cant see no point in using that.

Does anyone think there is a case to be a had here? I appreciate all of your help!
Thanks,

Stereophonics.

images now fixed* apologies for issues

Your argument is that the bay was not clearly signed - so we're going to need photos to see what the signs were and where they were.

Please do not embellish the position on the ground because the reality will surface sooner or later.

HCA

Update: ok right guys, I have included some photos here that I took on the night. They are poor quality due to the darkness but I hope it gives people a rough idea of location wise (signs, car etc..)

Red Circle = Signs "Resident Permit Holders Only"
Green Circle = Pay & Display Machine
White Circle = Car

I have also included a picture of the lines for the resident parking bays. What do you think?

In your first post you said the sign said 'Resident Permit Holders only' then here you have said it states 'Permit Holders only'. It is imperative to get thisright if you are going to rely on unclear signage.

Any chance of getting a picture of the sign?

My sincere apologies! Thank you for spotting that one. To confirm the signs state: "resident permit holders only".

The pay by phone sign you have posted is almost certainly for the motorcycle bay. The price is wrong for cars.

I have noticed on Westminster quite a bit recently that they are lacking controlled hours on the signs. According to their website the controlled hours are on plates as you enter each controlled zone. Not sure if this is legal, it is certainly difficult. My guess is to con people into paying when they don't need to, and to give them penalties when they did need to but didn't know.

Need to see decent pictures of the signs. If there is a change from residents to P&D there should be a double line between the two sets of bays.

Are they shared use bays down there?

They were preparing for the parking controls up to midnight that never happened.

If it says "permit holders only" without any hours though that means "at any time".

Agreed, but there are pay by phone bays without times on them. Surely they can't expect you to pay at 3 am and stay for a maximum of 4 hours and not return within an hour?

Looks like a mess.

I used to think I knew what I was doing in Westminster, but I'm muchly confused now.

Unfortuantly, I have no better photos to offer anyone. It would be a waste of time and further money to go down to london in order to get snaps of the area. Its a shame google maps is becoming vastly outdated IMO.

I've looked at the case from plenty of angles but I see any clause. This was just a very genuine mistake on my behalf. Had i known the signs either side of the bays were "resident permit holders only" I like everyone else would never have parked there. It's easy for me to say the signage should have been clearer, but from what I've found it looks as if everything is completely legal. I only have another picture of a sign which is completely washed in front of my car and blank. The problem being is you can faintly read that it applies to "CCTV" in the area and not parking.