Parking fine is scrapped after months of hassle for local driver

The saga began when the man paid 70 pence to park at Bachelors Walk on March 26. He later saw a Parking Attendant at his car and and discovered he had received a ticket to last until 9.19am, not 10.09am as expected.

Having searched the area with the attendant, they discovered his 50p lying in the machine. However, when he appealed the parking notice he was told there were "no grounds for the cancellation of the charge".

The man explained that the Traffic Attendant had gone with him to the machine and found the missing 50p still lying in it.

He wrote to the Parking Enforcement Processing Unit but was shocked to learn the 30 fine still stood and would increase to 60 if he didn't pay before June 8.

He said: "On June 5 I wrote requesting reconsideration and gave some further details."

He also enclosed a cheque for the 50p which had not been accepted by the machine. However, his appeal was again rejected and he got another letter on July 20 telling him he now owed 60, minus the 50 pence he had paid and that "if by 17/08/2010 you have failed to respond to this Notice a Charge Certificate will be served on you increasing the penalty charge by 50% to 90." And the threat that failure to pay may result in a "civil debt or by your vehicle being clamped/removed."

The man responded saying he had "both photographic and verbal witness to what took place at the parking meter that day," and was delighted to receive a letter on August 18 saying: "I am pleased to inform you that on this occasion your representations have been accepted and I have cancelled the Penalty Charge Notice."

However, he is still unsure why there was a u-turn.

"I am now enquiring why the Enforcement Unit suddenly decided to accept my arguments and cancel the Penalty Charge Notice, no reason was given.

"One lesson to be learned from this is that if you are going the whole way to court because you believe you are in the right, be sure of your facts, take photos if possible, wardens do of your car, and you might consider recording conversations on your mobile of your conversation with the warden. It may all come in handy at a later stage, but be prepared to lose your case and pay a hefty increased fine.

"I'm absolutely relieved this is over, I just feel sorry for people who felt they were in the right but who paid their fine anyway feeling they had no other choice, I'm just pleased with the outcome."