Challenging a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN)

You can contest a Penalty Charge Notice if you believe that you have been 'booked' unfairly. However, if the mistake is yours, you are unlikely to be successful in your appeal.

If you appeal a PCN and lose, you can still pay the penalty at the discounted rate, as the discount will be held until a decision is made. If your appeal is rejected you will still have 14 days to make the payment. You cannot pay at the discounted rate and appeal later. Once payment is made the matter is considered closed.

All communication to challenge a Penalty Charge Notice must be made in writing. Please do not telephone, as we are unable to accept challenges, evidence or appeals made over the telephone.

If you believe that the Penalty Charge Notice you received should not have been issued or that there are special reasons why it should be cancelled, the following notes explain the appeals procedure.

There are three stages of appeal:

• Stage 1
  Initial correspondence to challenge the Penalty Charge Notice, within 14 days of its issue;
• Stage 2
  Representations to the Council at the Notice to Owner stage;
• Stage 3
  Formal appeal to the Parking Adjudicators at an independent tribunal.

You can submit your challenge in one of the following ways;

• Online using the Challenge Form available here.
• By post or email using the Challenge Form (PDF download).
• In person at the Customer Service Centre.

The following websites may be helpful if you are considering appealing against a PCN:

• PATROL website - What to consider before appealing against your PCN;
• Traffic Penalty Tribunal website;
• PATROL website - Full list of Contravention codes;
• Department for Transport website - Traffic Management Act 2004.