Ask Citizens Advice: I’ve received a parking ticket, do I have to pay?

Citizens Advice Rochdale is a local charity that provides free, independent, impartial, confidential advice to people in Rochdale.

The Citizens Advice brand is steeped in over 80 years of history and is one of the most recognised brands in the country, supporting millions of people each year across England and Wales.

Each month, we share advice around a key issue that we’re seeing across Rochdale.

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I’ve received a parking ticket, but the road markings were unclear and I didn’t realise I needed to pay to park. I don’t think I should have to pay the fine, but i’m worried i’ll get in trouble if I don’t. Do I have to pay?

All car parks and roads with parking restrictions must have signs or road markings that make this clear. Your ticket should be cancelled if you can prove:

• you couldn’t see any road markings or signs
• the signs or markings were hard to read – for example they’d faded or were hidden by trees
• the signs were misleading or confusing
• there weren’t any signs saying parking was suspended

It’s free to make an informal appeal by contacting whoever gave you the parking ticket, so it’s well worth trying.

You can’t be taken to court while you’re informally appealing, so your credit rating won’t be affected. You’ll only be taken to court if your appeal is unsuccessful, and you don’t pay the ticket or appeal to a tribunal.

There are other reasons why a parking ticket should be cancelled. These include if:

• You got a Parking Charge Notice more than 14 days after parking
• You were parked correctly
• There was no way to pay
• You were charged too much
• You weren’t driving when the ticket was issued
• You couldn’t get back to your car
• Your car broke down
• You were only just out of time

How to appeal depends on the type of parking ticket you have - check what the ticket says before you start. Most parking tickets will be one of:

• a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) or an Excess Charge Notice (ECN) – usually issued by the council on public land, such as a high street or council car park
• a Parking Charge Notice – issued by a landowner or parking company on private land, such as a supermarket car park
• a Fixed Penalty Notice – issued by the police on red routes, white zig zags or where the police manage parking

Don’t pay a parking ticket that you’re appealing. Usually, paying is seen as admitting the ticket was right – so you won’t be able to appeal it once you've paid. 

If you're worried about not paying, call whoever gave you the ticket and ask them to confirm that you shouldn't pay if you're appealing. 

For more information and advice on parking tickets and how to appeal, visit the Citizens Advice website.

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Citizens Advice Rochdale is here to give people the knowledge and the confidence they need to find their way forward - whoever they are, and whatever their problem.

For more information visit our web site www.casort.org or contact our team by phone, WhatsApp or face to face. Freephone: 0808 278 7803