Drivers urged to challenge parking tickets as it’s revealed 63% are winning

MOTORISTS are being urged to challenge harsh parking tickets – as new data shows that more than 60% of appeals succeed.

Experts have identified the situations that most commonly result in a successful challenge.

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Approximately 7,000 people disputed their parking tickets last year with the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, and a striking 63% of those appeals were successful.

Making an informal appeal is free, and successful grounds include having received the ticket over two weeks after parking.

If done quickly, motorists that lose their appeal may still be entitled to a 50% discount if they agree to pay the fine.

Other reasons pointed out by experts at one of the UK’s leading price comparison sites Quotezone.co.uk include if the signs or road markings were unclear, if there was no way to pay or they were overcharged.

It is also worth issuing a dispute if you got caught out only 5 or 10 minutes late, or if your car broke down.

Greg Wilson, founder of Quotezone.co.uk said: “If any of these situations mentioned above applies to you, then there could be sufficient grounds to appeal against the parking ticket.

“Many drivers are reluctant to go through the appeal process and are afraid of missing out on the reduced fine.

“However, with a surprising two thirds of the appeals proving successful, it’s certainly worth considering.

“Where you park can also have a significant effect on your car insurance cost.

“36% of households across the UK have at least two cars, making street parking a reality for many families and can increase premiums by £140 on average.”

How to appeal a parking ticket

Check what type of parking ticket you received

Official bodies and private companies have different appeal procedures, so it’s important to find out which one you’re dealing with.

Official tickets are called Penalty Charge Notices, Excess Charge Notices or Fixed Penalty Notices and you can find the name of the issuing authority on the ticket.

All other tickets are issued by private companies.

Act quickly

If you don’t want to miss out on the 50% discount, then you must act quickly as the discount will be frozen.

The deal should still apply if you file your appeal within 14 days of receiving your ticket

Find evidence

To make your case stronger, it’s good to have some evidence to back up your claim.

The easiest way to prove that no parking rules were broken is to provide photo or CCTV evidence.

If that’s not possible in your situation, then it would help to get some witness statements.

When your illegal parking is excused by a medical emergency or condition, then you should get a doctor’s note.

Make the right type of appeal

There are three types of appeals that you can file: informal, formal and one with an independent adjudicator.

Informal appeals only apply to Penalty Charge Notices which are left on windscreens.

All you have to do is send your appeal to the local authority and include any evidence you have.

If the informal appeal is unsuccessful or if the fine was sent by post, then you’ll have to go through the formal appeal process, where you need to submit a form if you want to get your penalty overturned.

If the dispute fails in the formal stage as well, then you can take your appeal to the private adjudicator for free. You can opt for a personal hearing or complete the process over email, phone or post.