Pay and Display parking shock

[first mate]

Would appreciate the input of forumites.

Today I attempted to park using a pay and display machine in Lambeth. The machine golloped up my change but gave nothing back. Reported machine as faulty and moved on to find another street and another place to park, carefully clutching the last of my change.

By now I am pushed for time and trying hard to find somewhere else to park.

New street and two machines opposite each other on either side of road, both equi-distant to my car. I parked up and noticed a woman at the machine over the road from me. I decided to use that machine because I could check if it was working properly (I could not afford to lose my remaining change in another machine). Woman said machine was working and I duly bought ticket and displayed it in my car.

An hour or so later I returned to my car to find an attendant issuing me with a ticket- despite the fact that my ticket is clearly displayed and with 15 minutes to spare. After some time I finally discover that one side of the road is Lambeth and the other Wandsworth- though there is no signage to explain that tickets will only be legal on one side of the road.

Help! Is it worth disputing this? I feel I paid fairly for a space and have been caught on a technicality. The parking attendant did not issue me with the ticket but went scuttling away with it- I suppose it'll be in the post as I write.

What hurts is that I'd already lost a fair amount of change in one wretched machine and really feel there was no way of knowing the two machines were for different zones; they were almost diametrically opposite each other.

Any suggestions gratefully received.

[Huggers]

lambeth are notorious for misleading and misinforming in order to maximise car fine revenue.

removing cars, not admitting they have done so, owners assuming car stolen, fines piling up every day kind of thing. Google them and see.

[Busy-bee]

Hello! I think it's definitely worth contesting if there were no clear signs!

I recently got a ticket in Westminster where I thought I had parked legally. Part of the road was permit only, and the other part was pay and display. The white line dividing the two areas had worn away and so wasn't visible. I thought I was parking in the pay and display area but when I returned to my car there was a parking fine on my windscreen. The fine stated that I'd parked in a permit only bay.

I was quite ready to pay immediately - assuming that I was in the wrong and deserved the fine. My boyfriend however thought we should dispute it as the bays were really not clearly marked. So against my will, I let him do it.

He took photos of the unclearly marked bay and the signs and sent an email to the council with the photos attached. The fine was overturned and an apology letter was sent to us.

Definitely worth it on that occasion and it sounds like it'd be worth it for you too!

Good luck! :)

[woofmarkthedog]

Appeal,appeal,appeal if you do get a ticket.

I have had 2 quashed from Lambeth in the last month, you have to appeal to the Northampton court. In my experience this is the only way through.

Incidentally the Crystal Palace triangle borders the boroughs of Bromley, Lambeth, Southwark & I believe Croydon. A Royal flush for parking tickets

W**F

[first mate]

Thanks all,

will appeal and let you know how I fare. Your advice is appreciated.

[????]

It's extortion - though I warn you a few naive and worthy non-car drivers on here have no idea of the banditry car owners have to put up with and will defend thieving councils....fight it.

[SteveT]

Harringay and Islington are full of unreadable signs for parking where you get a ticket for misunderstanding them.

Bar studs!

[Jeremy]

Thieving bastards. Dispute it all the way. If at first they don't accept the appeal, take it all the way to the hearing. I would be surprised if they won. Take photos of the area if you can (or grab from google streetview) showing the lack of warning signs.

[LegalEagle-ish]

I Think that as the ticket wasn't served on you that it won't be valid anyway. Don't take my word for that tho, go to one of those parking ticket rights websights. If you do get a ticket, you do seem to have grounds for appeal for the lack of signs and non service of the ticket.