Hundred of tickets torn up as drivers fight fines

Motorists challenging parking tickets dished out by Canterbury City Council have a success rate of almost 60% new figures reveal.

Close to 300 fines a month are overturned on appeal by the authority for both on and offstreet parking offences.

Statistics released under freedom of information laws show 2,723 tickets were torn up in the first 10 months of last year alone - 58% of the 4,696 challenged.

Council spokesman Rob Davies says all appeals are dealt with “on a case-by-case basis”.

“We are always happy to take a second look at whether a penalty charge notice (PCN) was correctly issued when an appeal is received,” he said.

“There could be many reasons why a PCN that is issued correctly is subsequently cancelled. Often this is because we are made aware of information we did not know at the time, such as a medical emergency, loading or a vehicle breakdown.

“It’s about looking at the circumstances in which the PCN was issued and the mitigating reasons put forward, and then reaching a fair decision.

“As the figures show, we cancel just over half of all the appeals we receive, which we feel demonstrates we take the process seriously.”

Drivers in Swale are the most likely in Kent to have their parking fines quashed if they appeal.

It upheld 70.8% of challenges, while Medway Council was the lowest, overturning just a third of appeals.

Moneysavingexpert.com urges drivers whose initial challenge fails to move their appeal onto the next stage.

Nationally, Runnymede in Surrey was the worst for accepting appeals with only 9.2% successful. Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council approved 95.4% of cases.

Have you been ticketed unfairly? Email kentishgazette@thekmgroup. co.uk or write to Gazette House, 5-8 Boorman Way, Wraik Hill, Whitstable, CT5 3SE.