Parking fiasco could cost thousands
Norwich Evening News
28th August 06
Motorists in Norwich who have received parking fines are being urged to check their tickets after it emerged they may have been handed out “illegally” by traffic wardens.
Thousands of tickets handed out across the city could be invalid because they do not include the correct information required by law.
A High Court case earlier this month ruled that parking tickets should state clearly both the date the ticket was issued and the date the offence took place, even if they were on the same day.
Norwich City Council is one of several authorities across the county which has had to change the wording on its tickets over fears it did not contain the correct information.
The council claims people who have already paid their fines stand little chance of recouping their money as they have admitted guilt.
However, these claims have been shot down by appealnow.com, the national group behind the original case, which says motorists could use the courts to get their money back.
It is however believed that the council will be powerless to stop drivers who have not yet paid their fines and have the “illegal” tickets, from simply ignoring them.
Barrie Segal, founder of appealnow.com, told the Evening News today: “It is well worth people checking their tickets because unless they have these two dates they are unenforceable.
“I also believe that if people have already paid they can claim it back, but we are waiting to see if that will happen.
“I have seen literally thousands of tickets all over the country that are invalid. This could cost council's hundreds of thousands.”
The case has also given hope to motorists in Norwich embroiled in rows with the authority over their tickets.
Army veteran John Adamson, 70, from Wymondham, was recently told by the authority that a fine, given to him when he visited his son's Norwich flat, would stand even though he had a visitor's permit that had been blown off the windscreen by the wind.
He said: “I am going to be checking this out. It would serve them right to be honest, they wouldn't give me any leeway so why should I them?”
John Sampson, 43, from Clover Hill Road, Bowthorpe, who is appealing a ticket given to him on a Sunday for parking in St Benedict's, where the nearest sign said this was okay, said: “The ticket they gave me was completely unfair and I will certainly be checking this out.”
Traffic wardens issued 35,549 penalty charge notices (PCN's) in the city between April 1, 2005 and March this year and recouped £320,000 in profits for tickets in 2004/05, which it says was pumped back for road improvements.
A council spokeswoman said: “Norwich City Council's penalty charge notice, in common with many other councils in the country, did not show a date of issue and a date of offence, although in our case these would be the same.
“Whilst we wait for clarification of what the judgement means, we have temporarily changed our system to show both dates.
“This does not mean that people who failed to comply with parking regulations are entitled to a refund.
“They have accepted they were at fault and have paid their penalty.”
Have you successfully challenged a parking fine issued in Norwich?
Contact David Powles on 01603 772447 or via email on david.powles@archant.co.uk
28th August 06
Motorists in Norwich who have received parking fines are being urged to check their tickets after it emerged they may have been handed out “illegally” by traffic wardens.
Thousands of tickets handed out across the city could be invalid because they do not include the correct information required by law.
A High Court case earlier this month ruled that parking tickets should state clearly both the date the ticket was issued and the date the offence took place, even if they were on the same day.
Norwich City Council is one of several authorities across the county which has had to change the wording on its tickets over fears it did not contain the correct information.
The council claims people who have already paid their fines stand little chance of recouping their money as they have admitted guilt.
However, these claims have been shot down by appealnow.com, the national group behind the original case, which says motorists could use the courts to get their money back.
It is however believed that the council will be powerless to stop drivers who have not yet paid their fines and have the “illegal” tickets, from simply ignoring them.
Barrie Segal, founder of appealnow.com, told the Evening News today: “It is well worth people checking their tickets because unless they have these two dates they are unenforceable.
“I also believe that if people have already paid they can claim it back, but we are waiting to see if that will happen.
“I have seen literally thousands of tickets all over the country that are invalid. This could cost council's hundreds of thousands.”
The case has also given hope to motorists in Norwich embroiled in rows with the authority over their tickets.
Army veteran John Adamson, 70, from Wymondham, was recently told by the authority that a fine, given to him when he visited his son's Norwich flat, would stand even though he had a visitor's permit that had been blown off the windscreen by the wind.
He said: “I am going to be checking this out. It would serve them right to be honest, they wouldn't give me any leeway so why should I them?”
John Sampson, 43, from Clover Hill Road, Bowthorpe, who is appealing a ticket given to him on a Sunday for parking in St Benedict's, where the nearest sign said this was okay, said: “The ticket they gave me was completely unfair and I will certainly be checking this out.”
Traffic wardens issued 35,549 penalty charge notices (PCN's) in the city between April 1, 2005 and March this year and recouped £320,000 in profits for tickets in 2004/05, which it says was pumped back for road improvements.
A council spokeswoman said: “Norwich City Council's penalty charge notice, in common with many other councils in the country, did not show a date of issue and a date of offence, although in our case these would be the same.
“Whilst we wait for clarification of what the judgement means, we have temporarily changed our system to show both dates.
“This does not mean that people who failed to comply with parking regulations are entitled to a refund.
“They have accepted they were at fault and have paid their penalty.”
Have you successfully challenged a parking fine issued in Norwich?
Contact David Powles on 01603 772447 or via email on david.powles@archant.co.uk
posted by Neil Herron at 2:27 PM
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