Should I Pay or Appeal my Blackpool Council Parking Fine?
Have you found a Blackpool Council parking fine tucked under your car’s wiper blade? Or perhaps one has arrived in the post? It’s not a nice surprise. Every month, over 32,000 people come to this site looking for guidance on tickets and fines. It can feel scary and muddle your head, but there’s no need to fret.
In this easy-to-read guide, we’ll tell you about:
- What a Blackpool Council parking fine actually is.
- How to go about making an appeal, and maybe even win.
- How much these parking fines are.
- What happens if you don’t pay the fine.
- Where to find more help if you need it.
We’ve offered guidance to many people in a similar situation as yours, so we know what it feels like to get a fine and we’re here to help you. Let’s dive in to learn how you can sort out your parking fine.
Do You Have to Pay?
In some circumstances, you might have a legitimate reason not to pay your fine.
It’s a bit sneaky, but the last time I needed legal advice, I paid £5 for a trial to chat with an online solicitor called JustAnswer.
Not only did I save £50 on solicitor feeds, I also won my case and didn’t have to pay my £271 fine.
Chat below to get started with JustAnswer
In partnership with Just Answer.
I’ve received a Blackpool Council parking fine. What is it?
A Blackpool City Council parking fine is given out for minor parking offences, such as:
- Overstaying your allotted parking time
- Not making payment for parking
- Obstructing traffic
- Parking outside of marked bays
- Parking on double yellow lines
They are generally issued by a civil enforcement officer, which you may better know as a traffic warden or the police. They can be left, as I mentioned above, under your windscreen, or they can arrive through the post, as the issuing authority can get your details from the DVLA.
A parking fine from the council is officially called a penalty charge notice, or PCN. These differ completely from a parking charge notice, which, rather confusingly, is also referred to as a PCN. These are parking charge notices and are given out by private parking firms. Unlike a penalty charge notice, they are more of an invoice than a fine and cannot be legally enforced. To get you to pay, a private car park operator must take you to court, and the judge must agree that you are liable.
What if I want to appeal my Blackpool Council parking fine?
It is unlikely, but certainly not impossible that the Blackpool Council car park charges were issued in error or that the council did not follow the correct processes when issuing the fine. In this case, you have the right to appeal.
My advice is always to proceed with care if you choose to do this – you will need evidence to back your counter argument up and if it goes to court and you lose, your fine will be increased, usually quite significantly. You also run the risk of bailiffs getting involved, making a fairly simple matter much more distressing.
Of course, if you are 100% sure you have a case and evidence to support it, then by all means go ahead and appeal by following the correct process.
- You have already paid
- The penalty charge was not issued correctly
- No parking offence was committed
- Your vehicle was stolen when the ticket was issued and you have a crime number
- You just purchased the vehicle, and the parking fine was issued prior to the purchase date
- You sold the vehicle, and the fine was given after the sale date
Parking fines issued by Blackpool Council can be appealed online. You can also file an appeal in writing.
If you cannot present a valid justification for disputing Blackpool Council parking penalties, your appeal will be rejected.
» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer
My appeal has been rejected. What happens next?
The council gives you a Notice of Rejection, which includes information on how to seek an appeal with an impartial adjudicator. This second appeal must be filed within 28 days of receiving the Notice of Rejection.
What if I just ignore my Bristol PCN?
When you fail to pay a penalty charge notice, Blackpool Council will pursue you for payment. The procedure they use can quickly result in an unpaid parking fee being filed in County Court.
If you are the registered keeper, you will get a Notice of Registration. Following that, a warrant is issued to enforce the debt, followed by a warrant for Enforcement Agents (bailiffs) to reclaim the sum owed.
My recommendation? Never disregard a penalty charge notification issued by the council. To avoid further escalation, either appeal the fine or pay it.
Successful Appeal Case Study
Situation
| Initial Fine | £100 |
| Additional Fees | £171 |
| Total Fine | £271 |
The Appeal Process
Scott used JustAnswer, online legal service to enhance his appeal. The trial of this cost him just £5.
| Total Fine | £271 |
| Cost of legal advice | £5 |
JustAnswer helped Scott craft the best appeal possible and he was able to win his case.
Scott’s fine was cancelled and he only paid £5 for the legal help.
In partnership with Just Answer.
Who is liable to pay the fine if I was not driving at the time?
Unfortunately, as the registered vehicle keeper, you are liable for Blackpool Council car parking fines, whether you were the driver when the PCN was issued.
Of course, you almost certainly will want to ask the driver to cough up and pay you back, but my advice is to pay it within the first 14 days to take advantage of the 50% discount and stop the council from taking any further legal action against you,
How do I get in touch with Blackpool City Council?
| Blackpool Council Parking Ticket Number |
01253 477477 General enquiries |
| Post: | Blackpool Council, PO Box 4, Blackpool, FY1 1NA |
| Website | https://www.blackpool.gov.uk/ |
Hire a Parking Solicitor for less than a coffee.
If you’re thinking about appealing your parking ticket then getting some professional advice is a good idea.
Getting the support of a Solicitor can make your appeal much more likely to win.
For a £5 trial, Solicitors from JustAnswer can look at your case and help you create an airtight appeal.
In partnership with Just Answer.
References:
- Department for Transport. (2020). Civil Parking Enforcement. GOV.UK.
- Citizens Advice. (2021). Parking tickets. Citizens Advice.
- Blackpool Council. (2021). Penalty charge notice (PCN). Blackpool Council Official Website
- Traffic Penalty Tribunal. (2020). How to appeal a parking ticket. Traffic Penalty Tribunal.
