Parking fines must now be reimbursed
HOW I welcome the comments of the chief adjudicator, Caroline Sheppard OBE, of the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (May 9). I believe they vindicate the argument I have been putting to Coventry City Council – that the Restricted Parking Zone scheme is in fact illegal because it does not comply with current guidance in Chapter 3 of Traffic Signs Manual. I think ‘unenforceable’ is in fact ‘illegal’. I contend the illegality exists because the following paragraphs in Chapter 3 of Traffic Signs Manual have been totally ignored by Coventry City Council viz., Para 13, (13.2) states: ‘Restricted Parking Zones are therefore suitable only for single streets or clearly defined small areas.’ and Para 13, (13.8) states: ‘At any time’ signs are needed as there are no double yellow signs within the zone. These signs should be strategically placed so that where drivers might be tempted to stop, they can see a sign. The spacing between consecutive signs, whether or not they are on the same side of the road, should be no more than 30 metres. Regarding Colin Knight’s statement that the RPZ is fully approved by the DfT does not necessarily mean it is legal because guidance has not been followed. The guidance must be followed for a regulation to be legal otherwise it is pointless to issue the guidance. Indeed when an acquaintance of mine challenged a Penalty Charge Notice on this basis, Coventry City Council let the legal time lapse so that this contention could not be brought before the tribunal. I feel this speaks for itself.
Regarding reimbursement of penalties; this should be done automatically without the necessity of wrongly penalised persons having to apply for what is rightfully theirs. Patrick J Paris Stoke