Hello,

Please don't shout at me because I'm not trying to scam any system, just get some advice.

Last week I got a parking ticket whilst parked outside university in a 'Pay & Display' space. The only problem was, I had a valid ticket with more than 2 hours left to run when the ticket was issued. For the reason, the slip said 'Failure to display a valid ticket.' This is the part I dont understand. The ticket was on the dash above the steering column in plain view. The only thing I can think of that might have been wrong was that yesterdays ticket was also visable. Could this go against me?

In any case, the part where your advice comes in, can I appeal against this ticket? I know I should have taken action immediately but I've heard a few stories about people appealing and the ticket gets 'lost in the post' or even lost in the office after it's been signed for. So by the time you've lost your appeal you're in court for non payment. Another worry is that they won't accept my ticket because I can't prove I bought it, can I?

So is it worth appealing or do I pay £35 when I had already purchased and displayed a perfectly valid ticket?

Something similar happened to my sister and the fine was waived after appeal. If you still have the valid ticket, and can write a good explanation (as you've already demonstrated) then I would hope that common sense would prevail.

Is it one of those machines that makes you enter the first three numbers of your registration number? If it is, then I'd say that you have a good case - the chances of someone else parking in that carpark at the same time, and being willing to let you have their ticket, are pretty remote imo!

If you don't have a ticket with your number on then it's still worth appealing, but less chance of success, in my experience...

If you have in your posession a ticket which was valid at the time the warden wrote your penalty notice you should have absolutely no problem. Otherwise wardens could go to any car with a valid ticket, issue a penalty and the car owner would not have a leg to stand on. There is no proof, unless the warden took a photo that the ticket you have was not displayed.

It may be they only bothered to look for the first ticket they saw, hence they saw the old one and issued you a notice.

I would write a letter to and attach the valid ticket and your penalthy notice and point out that you had a ticket valid at the point that the warden issued their notice. Whatever you do, ensure you photocopy the valid ticket and penalty notice for your records.

Write to the Ticket office including a photocopy of your valid ticket. state that a valid ticket was displayed. send it recorded/registered post to make sure they receive it.

As Mario78 says they will cancel the fine. After all they are human and laible to make mistakes like the rest of us !!!!.

dont worry about it, the same happened to me, all i did was write to the appeals, i kept a copy of the parking ticket that i had paid for and the one issued and it was waived, u cant prove you bought it but they cant prove you didnt and its not worth their while taking it further, good luck

Hello,

Please don't shout at me because I'm not trying to scam any system, just get some advice.

Last week I got a parking ticket whilst parked outside university in a 'Pay & Display' space. The only problem was, I had a valid ticket with more than 2 hours left to run when the ticket was issued. For the reason, the slip said 'Failure to display a valid ticket.' This is the part I dont understand. The ticket was on the dash above the steering column in plain view. The only thing I can think of that might have been wrong was that yesterdays ticket was also visable. Could this go against me?

In any case, the part where your advice comes in, can I appeal against this ticket? I know I should have taken action immediately but I've heard a few stories about people appealing and the ticket gets 'lost in the post' or even lost in the office after it's been signed for. So by the time you've lost your appeal you're in court for non payment. Another worry is that they won't accept my ticket because I can't prove I bought it, can I?

So is it worth appealing or do I pay £35 when I had already purchased and displayed a perfectly valid ticket?
exactly the same thing happened to me last year i went to 2 difrent car parks in one day hence had both displayed and the atendent only saw the wrong one xxx i sent coppies of both and they imedialty let me off so i would try im sure it will be ok x

Ok, as there are at least 2 people on this thread who found themselves in the same circumstances, is it just down to incompetence or are tickets being issued knowingly falsely, in the hope that some people will just get frightenend into paying?

Ok, as there are at least 2 people on this thread who found themselves in the same circumstances, is it just down to incompetence or are tickets being issued knowingly falsely, in the hope that some people will just get frightenend into paying?

It's pretty obviously incompetence. I mean, how stupid do you have to be to leave an old parking ticket in place when you go to a new car park?

The same thing happened to me, I appealed and lost. Apparently I was also showing a ticket from earier on. I had parked up and brought a ticket for an hour, nipped into work and ended up only stayed for about 20 mins. Went off to visit another business (this is part of my job and the parking space in question is outside the front of my work) came back again to drop some stuff at work and without thinking brought another ticket for an hour. Apparently you are not allowed to do this. Had to pay the fine even through I had displayd a valid ticket.

The same thing happened to me, I appealed and lost. Apparently I was also showing a ticket from earier on.

That raises a question. Is it only an offence to not show a valid ticket, or is it an offence to show an invalid ticket - whether or not you're also showing a valid one?

Depends on if the parking bay has a "no return in X hours" restriction.

Yep thats what it was, you werent allowed to return within an hour and I had by like 2 mins, I didnt realise. Bloody petty if you ask me.