Note: if your PCN was observed on CCTV (and served by post) or relates to a Bus Lane contravention a slightly different process applies. Please see 'Disputing a PCN served by post' or 'Disputing a Bus Lane PCN' sections on this page.
Under the Traffic Management Act (TMA) 2004 an informal challenge against the issue of a PCN may be made within 28 days of the date the PCN was issued.
Whilst the TMA does not make the following requirements, if your challenge is received within 14 days of the issue date of the PCN, we will hold the case at the discounted amount (for one occasion only) until we have considered your comments and have sent you a reply. If we accept your challenge we will cancel your PCN and inform you in writing. If we reject your challenge we will inform you in writing and re-offer a 14 day period in which a discounted payment would be accepted as full and final payment to close the case. Your options for further contesting the PCN will be outlined in the rejection letter.
We will only offer the discounted amount on one occasion once we reject your challenge. Further correspondence or challenges will not lead to an extension of the discount amount.
If your correspondence is received after the expiry of the 14 day discount period, we will hold the case at the full amount until we have considered your comments and have sent you a reply. If we accept your challenge, we will cancel your PCN and inform you in writing.
If we do not cancel the PCN and reject your challenge, we will allow you 14 days, from the date of our letter, to pay at the full amount before we progress the case. Your options for further contesting the PCN will be outlined in the rejection letter.
If 28 days from the date the PCN is issued have passed and you have not paid the PCN or made a challenge against it, a statutory document called a Notice to Owner (NTO) will be sent to the person appearing to the Council to be the owner. To obtain this information we make enquiries to the DVLA.
Please note that if a challenge against the PCN is received before an NTO is served, we will endeavour to respond to this. However, if an NTO is served notwithstanding the challenge, representations against the PCN must be made in the form and manner and at the time specified in the NTO.
The NTO is a document which instructs you how to either pay the PCN at the full charge or make a representation. Your payment or representation must be made within 28 days of the date the Notice to Owner was served and the instructions on how to do this are shown on the document.
If your representation is rejected, you will receive a rejection letter and a Notice of Appeal (NOA) form. The NOA form can be used to appeal to an independent adjudicator at the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service (see external links above). If you decide not to appeal, then you must pay the outstanding charge within 28 days starting from the date on which the rejection letter is served.
You should be aware that according to legislation the owner of the vehicle is to be held responsible for a PCN regardless of who was driving it at the time it was issued. For vehicles hired or leased under a relevant agreement, the responsible party is the person who hired/leased the vehicle. The hire/lease company will be sent the NTO and they will either pay the charge and bill the hirer/lessee, or nominate the hirer/lessee which will result in the issue of a new NTO to them.
If you fail to respond to the NTO within 28 days of it being served, the next stage is the sending of a Charge Certificate (CC) which will increase the full amount by 50%. It is therefore in your own interest not to ignore the NTO but to reply appropriately and in time.
Disputing a parking PCN served by post
A person on whom a postal PCN is served will be entitled to make a formal Representation to the council against the PCN within 28 days, beginning with the date on which the PCN was served.
If your PCN relates to a parking contravention observed via CCTV and your Representation is received within 21 days of the issue date of the PCN, we will hold the case at the discounted amount (for one occasion only) until we have considered your comments and have sent you a reply. If we accept your Representation we will cancel your PCN and inform you in writing. If we reject your Representation we will inform you in writing and re-offer a 14 day period in which a discounted payment would be accepted as full and final payment to close the case.
If your Representation is received after the expiry of the 21 day discount period, we will hold the case at the full amount until we have considered your comments and have sent you a reply. If we accept your Representation, we will cancel your PCN and inform you in writing. If your Representation is rejected, we will inform you in writing and give you a further 28 days in which to pay the full charge.
If either instance if your Representation is rejected, you will receive a rejection letter with a Notice of Appeal (NOA) form. The NOA form can be used to appeal to an independent adjudicator at the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service (see external links above). If you decide not to appeal, then you must pay the outstanding fine within 28 days starting from the date on which the rejection letter is served.
If you fail to respond to the PCN addressed to you within 28 days of the PCN being served, the next stage is the sending of a Charge Certificate, which will increase the full amount by 50%. It is therefore in your own interest not to ignore the PCN but to reply appropriately and in time.
Disputing a Bus Lane PCN
Disputing a bus lane PCN within 14 days of issue date
If you wish to dispute your PCN you should do so within 14 days of the date of issue. Your PCN will then be put on hold at the discounted amount. If the Council responds to you and declines your challenge you will still have the option to pay the discounted amount for 14 days only.
Disputing your bus lane PCN 14 days after the issue date
After 14 days from the date the PCN was served it will have progressed to its full charge. If you wish to dispute your PCN at the full charge amount you can do so but only on limited grounds as listed on the reverse of your PCN. Your case will be put on hold pending a decision. If your challenge is declined you will be provided with information on the next stage of the appeals process or you can pay the charge, which will close the case
Disputing your bus lane PCN 28 days after the issue date
After 28 days an Enforcement Notice (EN) will be issued to the person the Council believes to be the registered keeper of the vehicle. If you wish to make a Representation at the full charge amount you can do so but only on limited grounds as listed on the reverse of your EN. Your case will be put on hold pending the outcome.
If your Representation is rejected, you will receive a rejection letter as well as a Notice of Appeal form (NOA), to be filled out should you wish to refer your case for independent adjudication at the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service (please see external link above). Should you choose this course of action, your case will be put on hold as soon as they receive your submission and we will be notified. However if you neither pay or submit an appeal the case will progress and charges will increase.