Should I Pay or Appeal my Bristol City Council PCN?

Did you find a Bristol City Council penalty charge notice (PCN) on your car after a day out? Or perhaps one arrived in the post? Every month, over 32,000 people come to this site for guidance on tickets and fines, so you’re not alone.

In this article, we’ll guide you through:

• Understanding why you got a Bristol PCN.
• Learning how to appeal and possibly beat your ticket.
• Knowing how to make a payment for a Bristol PCN.
• Deciding if you should pay the full amount of your Bristol City Council PCN.
• Finding out how to make a Bristol City Council PCN appeal.

We know how you might feel when you get a PCN, as our team has dealt with similar situations in the past. Let’s dive in and see what you can do next if you get a Bristol PCN.

Why have I got a Bristol PCN?

When motorists commit a traffic or parking offence in their borough, local authorities issue PCNs. It can be expensive too, ranging from £80 for minor offences up to £130 for more serious ones. 

A Civil Enforcement Officer (also known as a Parking or Traffic Warden) may issue the PCN on the spot. You may also find that it is posted out to you, as the council can obtain the registered keeper of the vehicle’s details from the DVLA.

You may not realise you committed an offence until the Bristol Council PCN comes though your letterbox –  and this could take up to 28 days after the offence.

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Do I need to pay the full amount of my Britstol City Council PCN?

Paying early is a great way to save some money. 

The Bristol PCN cost is reduced by 50% if you pay within 14 days of the issue date. It is applied automatically, so you don’t need to do anything other than pay.

How do I make payment for a Bristol PCN?

If you agree with the parking ticket and want to pay the Bristol PCN, you can do so using the Bristol PCN payment options listed below.

• Online payment. To pay your PCN online Bristol, you must have the information from the Penalty Charge Notice as well as your debit or credit card.

• Call 0870 707 776 is the automated Bristol PCN phone number.. The number is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and costs 2p per minute plus any access charges imposed by your phone operator. 

• If you want, you can pay Bristol PCNS by cheque. Make the payment payable to Bristol City Council and mail it to Payment Processing (Parking PCN), PO Box 3399, Bristol City Council, Bristol, BS1 9NE.

Bristol City Council’s PCN has a 10-digit number that begins with BS or OB. If you can’t find the Penalty Notice Charge or have any other parking ticket issues, fill out an online form to contact the council’s parking services or call them on the Bristol PCN phone number. 

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Can I make a Bristol CIty Council PCN appeal?

If you don’t believe that you should pay your PCN Bristol, you can launch a Bristol Council PCN appeal to see if you can get it quashed. You should have a good rationale and evidence to back up your allegations – you can do a Bristol PCN check online to look at photos and evidence that they have. Bristol City Council may take up to 28 days to respond to your Bristol PCN appeal  Your fine is suspended until the council responds.

A high percentage of appeals are successful, and the worst that can happen is you lose your appeal and you will have to pay the parking fine. The basic three-stage process of making an appeal is listed below:

1. Informal appeal – You can file an informal appeal during the first 28 days, either online or by writing an appeal letter. If you file an appeal within this time frame and your appeal is denied, you will still be able to pay the PCN at the reduced rate.
2. Formal appeal – If your informal appeal is refused, or if you did not file an informal appeal, you have 28 days to file a formal appeal. This is usually done through Bristol Council’s appeals process.
3. If your appeal is denied by Bristol City Council, you can take your case to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, which is an independent adjudication service.

For more complete information regarding the appeals process, grounds for appeal, and further instructions, I recommend that you visit the official Bristol City Council website.

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How to appeal

Online

You can only make one Bristol PCN appeal at a time. If you have many Bristol parking charges, you must file an appeal for each one separately. You can use the online system to file an appeal. Enter your PCN number, as well as your car registration number. Visit this link to make a Bristol PCN appeal. 

Post

If you want, you can send your Bristol PCN appeal via post. Your appeal letter should be sent to the following address:

Parking Services (PCN Appeals), Bristol City Council, PO Box 3399, Bristol, BS1 9NE.

Can I ignore a Bristol PCN?

Ignoring a Bristol City Council PCN will result in a larger fine.  Furthermore, the council has the authority to hire enforcement officers (bailiffs) to collect money owed to them, and they will add their fees on as well. 

I urge you call the council as soon as you understand you won’t be able to pay the PCN. You can describe your situation and talk about the solutions accessible to you. Ignoring the fine will result in you owing even more money. The threat of bailiffs is also distressing, albeit it is typically avoidable. 

References

1. GOV.UK. (n.d.). Penalty charge notices (PCNs). Retrieved from GOV.UK
2. Citizens Advice Bureau. (n.d.). Parking tickets. Retrieved from Citizens Advice
3. Bristol City Council. (n.d.). Pay a penalty charge notice. Retrieved from Bristol City Council
4. StepChange Debt Charity. (n.d.). Parking fines and Debt. Retrieved from StepChange