This is a very interesting case - we also got a fine there yesterday and so did all the people parked ahead and behind us. We got to the inspector just as he was writing it and he said he couldn't stop it now that it started. I called the council today and they went on about the sign being at the beginning of the road and it being driver's duty to search for it. Whereas I stated that it is the council's ethical responsibility to ensure that any rules (particularly ones that seem to be different to the average - ie it's not alright to park on single yellow lines on a Sunday in this strip) ought to be clear. I do believe that the council has a duty of care to fully inform and make EASILY accessible information that we need to know. Their excuse is tantamount to "it's in the fine print and you ought to read the fine print". I think that is unethical for a government agent to operate under the guise of fine print. Banks are not allowed to get away with it - especially when you're asking people for money. Governments should definitely not be allowed to generate revenue under the guise of fine print as that is unethical! They should be completely transparent in their dealings. Their job is to HELP the community that is keeping them in a job by paying our taxes - not operating a dodgy make-money scheme using the "let me catch up out" tactics. It is unethical. Full stop. I am going to send an email to Bob Stewart to raise this. Fight your case, try to get it waived. If the council want to raise money then they could bloody well set up a fund raising event instead of trying to TRICK people into breaking the law.
