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Blackburn with Darwen borough council Penalty charge notice (PCN)


If you are ever considering visiting Blackburn town centre, here is another reason not to!

During the Easter break (5th April), I was working at my computer when the girlfriend asked me if I could take the kids swimming in Blackburn, as she had promised to take them, but then something cropped up and she could not take them. They were booked into go swimming with their friend and needed taking to Blackburn sports and leisure centre at 13:30

I had it in the back of my mind that my second income tax payment was due soon, so I started to look through my paperwork in the office, I found the MOT for my van expired that very day (normally the garage sends out a reminder, but didn’t this year). I telephoned the garage and they said they could fit me in at about 13:30, the garage is in Hoddlesden (I live in Darwen). I set off with my two kids, picked up their friend from Blackburn and dropped them off outside swimming at Blackburn sports and leisure centre, I then drove to Hoddlesden, got the van MOT’d and then returned to Blackburn to pick them up.

I was a bit early, so I parked up on the car park right outside of the leisure centre (1) and went to pay at the machine (my girlfriend told me that it was free parking, but I did not want to risk it and don’t mind paying a couple of quid to park). The machine said “PERMIT HOLDERS ONLY”. I went into the leisure centre (2) and asked a guy behind the counter, he said that you can’t park on that car park, as the college use it and he pointed to a multi-storey car park (3), which is said was free if you are using the leisure centre. Because I drive a van (well technically it’s a pick-up truck), I avoid multi-storey car parks at all costs, so I drove to the Barton street carpark (4). I have been to Darwen leisure centre several times and you just park on their carpark and input your number on a screen to get free parking (Darwen leisure centre and Blackburn sports and leisure centre are run by the same council)

I parked up and went to the ticket machine, thinking I would be 15 minutes or so. I only had two £1 coins in my pocket. The pricing was £1.30 for one hour or £2.10 for two hours (I cannot remember the prices after that). As I thought I was only going to be 15 minutes I put £2 in the machine and got the ticket (no change was given by the machine). I went in and spoke to my eldest daughter, they pleaded with me for an extra hour. Because kids have had a crap few years with the covid scamdemic, I paid for them all to have an extra hour.

Because I had paid £2 for parking (no change was given), I expected any “civil enforcement officer” to apply a bit of common sense and not give me a parking ticket, if I went over 1 hour’s parking. When I returned to my vehicle there was a parking fine attached to the windscreen. At this point I was livid, I had agreed to take the kids for lunch, but was so annoyed that I dropped the kids friend off and returned home.
Immediately, I wrote an email to parkingservices@blackburn.gov.uk and explained to them, that I had been in their establishment, that I had paid £2 for parking (this is clearly marked on the ticket), thinking that they would cancel the ticket.

If you pay the ticket in 14 days the cost of the parking fine is £25
If you pay it after that, its £50

I received no reply from them via email. Then around the 8th July I received a “Notice to owner” saying that the sum of £50 is outstanding.

Because I did not receive an email from them, I replied to the “Notice to owner”, I took a screen shot of the email that I sent to parkingservices@blackburn.gov.uk and wrote them a covering letter and posted this via recorded delivery. Within a couple of days, I received a reply from them saying that “they have taken everything into account, however there are not sufficient reasons to cancel the penalty charge”. They even said the extra money that I paid was “at my discretion”, even though the machine did not give change! They were quite adamant that I that contravened code 82. At this point I could see that they were not at all interested in what I had to say, it is all black and white and written into law, and as a friend of mine says “there is no common sense in law”.




Here are a few points to consider-

1. I was at a council run establishment, run by Blackburn with Darwen council, had I attended Darwen baths there would not have been any issues, because parking is free there!
2. The college was on their Easter break, so why could I not park on the car park outside of the baths and have inputted my vehicle registration?
3. I over paid for my parking ticket, had the machine of given me the 70 pence change, I would have definitely gone back to the machine to ensure that I had a sufficient ticket to cover the time I was parked there!
4. I emailed the council on the same day that I received the ticket, yet I did not receive an email back from them (even though they said they replied), this resulted in my having to pay £50 instead of £25


Anyway, I ended up paying the ticket, as they were threatening more fees and possible bailiff action. I honestly feel like I was stitched up! I really cannot believe that councils act this way! Surely with today's modern technology and ANPR camera’s they could come up with a way of charging you for the exact amount of time that you are parked- but then they cannot extort additional money from people

sounds like you have a good case i would use the independent [free]tribunal service
https://www.trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk/

Sorry to read of that, but I used to work in London (Kensington) but all pay and display machines work pretty much the same, they do not give change, so if you pay too much for say 1 hour, you still only get 1 hour. (and often 2 hour limit, and no return within 4 hours)
The civil enforcement officers do get paid commission, and most don't care (Not surprising with all the abuse they get, If I saw one, I would often ask if my parking had just come through to them* and they often looked surprised I was being polite) In London they usually give you 5 minutes, I have seen them waiting, but they also said they don't have to wait.

It may be of use for the future if you register with the likes of Ring go (Other similar sites are available) click here as your time is due to expire it will send you a text (You have to set it up first, dead easy) to say your time is running out and you can extend it if permitable. oh and £2/ hour ? that's Luxury, where I was £3-4 hour (Depending on exact location) not unusual to spend £100/week in parking.

I always kept a bag of change for when there is no pay by phone parking or rare occasion it didn't work.

I am registered with about 3 pay by phone parking sites, really useful.




* They receive a "text" to say who has paid what and where, and if your reg is not on their screen, ticket for you.

Cornwall CC gave me a £30 fine because I didn't have any change and walked to the tea rooms nearby to get change, by the time we got back I had a ticket (less than 10 minutes). Appeal rejected of course.

Here's the kicker, parking was 20p an hour.

I paid for parking using Ringo. As I got out my car a Stasi warden comes up to me in broken English 'you pay'. Annoying t*at I thought I will make him pay in time so I say 'should I have paid you direct?' This throws him and he says 'phone pay' I say I have done it check your machine, I get a ting on my phone from Ringo at that point and so does parking goon. He starts to walk off so I say hang on a minute and proceed to tell him a totally prefabricated story about the machines gobbling my money the previous week and how can I get a refund. He wants out at this stage but I keep on and on asking him ro open the machine to give me a refund then a credit note he wishes he never spoke to me. By the time I let him go Mrs D was back from her errands and was none the wiser. I enjoyed myself holding the t*at up.

DWD

big-all wrote: ↑Sat Aug 06, 2022 1:11 pm sounds like you have a good case i would use the independent [free]tribunal service
https://www.trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk

Thanks, Big-All

I had already looked at that site, as it was my intention to get the ticket cancelled, but when I checked they had a defined set of reasons why you could dispute a ticket and mine was not there.

If it was up to me, I would never go to Blackburn leisure centre ever again, but the kids love it, because it has a slide. Now I drop the kids off, drive back to Darwen, then pick them up when ready. I would rather spend £10 in fuel, rather than pay parking fees to a bunch of criminals in suits!

I always seem to laugh out loud reading dwd posts you come across as a funny guy. Bet he won't be coming up to you again.

My leisure centre is free parking did some laps Friday. Got to watch the height restriction in the van though like yourself. So I park in the coach section and risk scroates nicking my kit from van

as an aside
yeaterday i watched a "scrapkings " episode included demolition off the Thwaites brewery tower at blackburn
https://www.discoveryplus.com/gb/video/ ... -episode-6

big-all wrote: ↑Sat Aug 06, 2022 8:06 pm as an aside
yeaterday i watched a "scrapkings " episode included demolition off the Thwaites brewery tower at blackburn

It seems you have to subscribe to be able to view it

I'll wait till it appears on YouTube

Around the late 90's I visited Greenwich market. There was a hood over the parking meter so I asked for advice from the Parking Attendant. He told me he was there all day and to park in front of it. When we returned the same guy had given me a ticket Luckily I had taken note of his badge number and my partner was a witness. I won my appeal case.