Thank you very much to Bromley Parking

I like to consider myself fair (other of course don't but hey..) So when something I have been moaning about is resolved, its only fair to say so, and not make it look like the 'target' of the other blog entries is still in my bad books.

So a while back I contacted Bromley asking what the outcome of the PCN appeal was, and received back a very short and somewhat informal reply saying what I read as 'oh drop it will you'.

Needless to say my response was fast and forthcoming, and as a result to tweeting the link to the blog entry, received some attention.

Today I received a very polite and detailed response from Bromley Parking, in which they highlighted the vague response initially given, and this time put a bit more meat on the bones as to why the decision had been made to overturn the PCN.
The reason given originally was 'clerical error', however I wanted to know exactly what that meant. To be more precise, the original response to my first appeal pointed out there were signs warning of the CPZ on London Road, on the way into Bromley, where in fact there were not.
As this had been stated in the reason to refuse the appeal, it was deemed (and I agree) an incorrect statement, therefore the PCN was cancelled.

SO, I can officially after just under a year, draw a line under the matter.
Lessons learned are Bromley has a vaguely signed CPZ, so use a car park at all times, and never assume a single yellow is safe.
Also, Bromley appears to have no plans to increase the signage for the said CPZ, so again, use a proper car park to be safe.

I would like to thank Bromley Parking for taking the time to look exhaustively into this matter, and truly appreciate the time being taken to read the blog, consider my point made re the sign location, and get back to me with a polite, detailed response.
I would also like to apologise openly for publishing the names of the parking officers and other staff involved in this whole affair without consulting them or seeking their permission. I will of course edit these out.

FINALLY... an answer from Bromley Parking

Albeit a little blunt, but the outcome is OK I guess.

See below..

<parking@bromley.gov.uk>	4:19 PM (20 minutes ago)

This Penalty Charge Notice was cancelled on February 11^th 2014 and I give below a copy of our waive letter, correctly addressed.

	Our Ref: BY04003116
Michael Snasdell Forest Hill London
	11/02/2014
Dear Sir Penalty Charge Notice: BY04003116 Date Issued: 16/11/2013 Place Issued: ELMFIELD ROAD, BROMLEY Vehicle Registration: T103DBM Served under the Traffic Management Act 2004

Thank you for writing to us.

We have reviewed the Penalty Charge Notice as part of our standard procedures and whilst the penalty was correctly issued, we have withdrawn it owing to an administration error.

Yours sincerely

Parking Support Officer

Bromley clearly have no intention of addressing their CPZ signage, and wanted to be a short on the matter as possible.
I am left wondering what exactly the 'administration error' which caused the cancellation of the ticket was. They had 4 months left to respond to the matter and reject it, the information is STILL online to see now, so the pictures are still there, the ticket is still avaiable also with information on it.

Is this Bromley's way of saying 'we agree' without actually admitting wrong doing? I will be interested to see if any signage around the area has changed, or indeed changes. But with the run up to Christmas soon upon us, im sure they will make up for this ticket tenfold! So if you DO get a ticket and think it is unfair, don't be afraid to appeal, its your right!

Also very strange how the follow up ticket reminder, first appeal decision, and notice to keeper all arrived fine, yet this 'correctly addressed' letter has never been seen. Nor have any emails I have sent prior to this one ever been answered.

All in all Bromley, you have very poor standards when it comes to dealing with members of the public, who you have initiated contact with, regardless of its form. Its very sad that such a seemingly prestigeous local authority, deal with matters where people dare to question you in such a short, rude, and obnoxious manner.

I would reply to the email asking what the error was, but im sure I would be told it was a private matter and cannot be divulged.

Thanks anyway for finally getting back to me and cancelling the ticket, we both know it was the right thing to do.

Time to contact Bromley Parking again!

Nearly a year on, I thought I would take one more crack at getting a response from Bromley about their parking ticket and CPZ..

This has been sent to their main complaints department.

Dear Sir/ Madam,

In November of 2013 I received a PCN from one of your wardens (ref above) which I chose to challenge on the grounds of poor signage in reference to the CPZ the offence was said to have taken place in.
I received a formal response regarding my appeal, which rejected it, and gave me my options.
On receiving my notice to keeper I decided to again appeal on the same grounds.
Since this time I have not heard a word from Bromley on the matter.

My assumption, based on this being a year ago almost now, is that the ticket has been cancelled, and the appeal was successful. Some digging on the internet offered me this advice.
After an appeal against Notice to Owner relating to PCN issued by civil enforcement officer - the council must serve you with a response either accepting or rejecting your appeal (Notice of Rejection) no later than 56 days commencing with the date they received your appeal. If they do not the PCN must be cancelled.

While I feel I know the outcome of this matter, some official confirmation of this would be appreciated.

Requested action...

I would be most grateful for a written confirmation of the outcome of the appeal I sent to Bromley. Stating that the appeal was received, considered and what the official outcome is.

Further to this, if the appeal has in fact been accepted, I would be curious to know what Bromley are doing regarding the signage for the said CPZ, which I sent detailed concerns about.

Remember that parking ticket in Bromley (Nov 2013)?

Well, some 9 months after sending my appeal in for the second time (after it was rejected the first time) I have heard............. Nothing!

So while they are quick to write to you and say pay, or we reject your appeal about our piss poor CPZ signs, they seem to clam up a bit when it comes to saying that maybe you were right after all.

This kind of thing irritates the hell out of me. They have my email address from the appeal, so not even a postage stamp is needed. But NO, they can't even have the decency to get back to me to say, not to worry about paying up. Maybe this is in the hope that I will just cave in and pay up. Alas this is NOT the case.

So today I have sent them a message via their PCN appeal page, which reads as follows.

I received this notice back in November 2013, and appealed, this was rejected.
After receiving the notice to keeper I appealed again, with the same appeal, but more details and photos.
Since this time I have not heard a word back from yourselves.
I would be grateful if you could advise me formally of what decision was made on this PCN, and the grounds upon which the decision was reached.
Many thanks
Michael Snasdell

Having heard back from a number of readers suffering a similar fate to me with regards to bogus tickets based on Bromley's lack of interesting in properly signing their imposed CPZ, I am hoping that a few have managed to make your point also, and not have to pay.

In the meantime, I await a written (email or posted) confirmation from someone at Bromley telling me the outcome and the reasoning for it. I might be waiting a while......

Parking tickets. My feelings on them.

A while back, Nov if I remember correctly, I was issued with a PCN (parking ticket) from Bromley's parking enforcement people, for apparently parking in a clearly signed CPZ (controlled parking zone). I appealed against this on the basis that I felt the signage was so poor that it was not enforceable, as I had not been correctly and adequately made aware of the restrictions of the area I was parking in.
This argument was backed up with photographic and video evidence from myself. And also further supported by  the contradictions of the letter rejecting my appeal, and the actual signs which exist.

The appeal was rejected on the grounds that they felt that the area was sufficiently signed, and I was informed of locations of these signs.... which DON'T exist.

So as the argument has gone on, I started to question the validity and point of my appeal. Was I just doing this because I didn't want to pay.

Well, all my questions were answered this morning when I received a letter from TfL advising me of a parking penalty on the A205. On checking the details, and thinking for a moment, I did indeed stop there, and realised in a true 'DOH' moment, that I had been out of routine. I would usually stop there briefly on the way to physio after 10am, but on this occasion I was going to an earlier appointment, and it was pre 10am... Silly error!
I drove past just now to check the bay was indeed 10-4, and it was, so I went straight online and paid the fine. Which I should point out is the same price as Bromley's demand.

So my relaxed attitude, and acceptance of wrong doing of this TfL PCN clears up the doubt. I have no issue whatsoever paying a legitimate PCN when it is signed but I have still been stupid, however when a council is too tight, and too arrogant to accept that they don't have correct signage, and just throw their weight about with hefty fines, I take offence, and WILL object!