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#Post#: 115356--------------------------------------------------
Ealing, PCN 53J, Entering Pedestrian zone, Oldfield Lane South
DIR By: bw0906
Date: April 8, 2026, 10:49 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Hi,
I’m hoping someone can advise because I’m feeling pretty stuck
and frustrated.
I received a PCN for entering a pedestrian zone. I submitted an
appeal on 24 December (within the 14‑day discount window).
After that, I heard absolutely nothing for months.
I’ve now received a Notice of Rejection of Formal
Representations, which I received today (8 April), but the
letter itself is dated 20 March. The issue is that I’ve been out
of the country since 22 March and only returned late last night
(7 April), so I had no way of knowing when this letter actually
arrived.
At this point, I didn’t have the energy to fight it further (and
assumed I probably wouldn’t win anyway), so I decided I would
just pay the discounted amount — only to find the charge has
been increased from £80 to £160.
The letter states:
“You now have 14 days beginning with the date that this notice
of rejection is served on you to pay the penalty charge at the
discounted amount of £80. If payment is not received within 14
days beginning with the date that this notice of rejection is
served on you, the penalty charge will increase to the full
amount of £160.”
What really annoys me is that it took the council 86 days to
respond to my appeal, which I submitted by email (as they
instructed). Somehow, the one time all year I’m away and can’t
access my postbox is when they decide to send a letter. If this
had been sent by email, I could’ve dealt with it immediately.
I’ve tried calling, but every number just leads to automated
bots — I can’t get through to a real person. I’ve emailed
ParkingRep@ealing.gov.uk, but I’m not hopeful considering how
long they take to respond. There was also an option on the
portal to submit another challenge, which I did, but I don’t
even know if anyone reads those. I only received an automated
response saying:
“I can confirm that we have received your challenge, which will
be attached to the case.”
As it stands, I believe I now have until next Friday to either:
Pay the £160, or
Appeal to the adjudicator
I do have flight tickets to prove I was out of the country if
that helps at all.
Has anyone been in a similar situation, or does anyone have
advice on what the best next step would be? I’m wary of missing
deadlines but also feel this is really unfair.
Thanks in advance.
#Post#: 115358--------------------------------------------------
Re: Ealing, PCN 53J, Entering Pedestrian zone, Oldfield Lane
South
DIR By: bw0906
Date: April 8, 2026, 10:57 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Just an update, I got through to the switchboard and they said
that the PCN team doesn't have a phone number because everything
needs to be documented. It looks like my only option is to pay
the £160 or take it the adjudicators.
If I lose the appeal with the adjudicator, would they order me
to pay the £160, or do you think they would honour the
discounted period and only make me pay the £80 since I did
everything correctly?
£160 is just so much money, it's more than what I earn in a day.
I regret appealing in the first place now...
#Post#: 115359--------------------------------------------------
Re: Ealing, PCN 53J, Entering Pedestrian zone, Oldfield Lane
South
DIR By: RichardW
Date: April 8, 2026, 11:01 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Post up the PCN, your appeal and the rejection letter. It's
possible there are some technical appeals. If you appeal to the
adjudicator the cost will be no more than £160 if you lose - but
at least you will have made the council work for their money,
and it's not unknown for them to not contest appeals.
#Post#: 115389--------------------------------------------------
Re: Ealing, PCN 53J, Entering Pedestrian zone, Oldfield Lane
South
DIR By: fraser.mitchell
Date: April 8, 2026, 6:25 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
If the council are insisting on £160, then it is a total and
absolute NO-BRAINER to now register an appeal at London
Tribunals; what have you got to lose ? There are no additional
costs whatsoever, and you could win on their excessive delay in
responding to your rep.
LT normally consider responses over 90 days as unfair delay, but
your 86 days is close enough, in my book. You could also mention
that for formal reps against postal PCNs under the Traffic
Management Act 2004, responses must be sent within 56 days from
their receipt by the council.
HOwever, you told us damn-all about the actual allegation, and
many appeals are won on signage of these restricted streets, so
advice is not to join the Mugged CLub, but make them do some
work for a change.
#Post#: 115396--------------------------------------------------
Re: Ealing, PCN 53J, Entering Pedestrian zone, Oldfield Lane
South
DIR By: Ex CPS here
Date: April 9, 2026, 12:37 am
---------------------------------------------------------
The sensible next step is to register an appeal with London
Tribunals now, not to pay £160 straight away. After a Notice of
Rejection, you have 28 days from service of that notice to
either pay or appeal. There is no fee to appeal, and costs are
only awarded in rare cases where someone has behaved
frivolously, vexatiously or wholly unreasonably. London
Tribunals also says you should send the appeal in promptly even
if all your evidence is not ready, and say that the rest will
follow.
Your being abroad is understandable, but I would not put that
forward as the main legal point. The timetable runs from service
of the notice, not from when you got back and opened the post,
so the flight tickets are better used to explain the timing and
to support a request that Ealing re-offer the £80.
The 86-day delay is arguable, but it is not a guaranteed winner.
For London moving-traffic PCNs, London Tribunals says councils
should normally respond within 3 months, and its published
material says the 56-day rule is for parking matters, not
moving-traffic cases. So delay is a supporting fairness point,
not a silver bullet.
The weak part in the case at the moment is that nobody can
properly assess the real merits without seeing the PCN, your
original representations, and the Notice of Rejection. The
stronger points, if they exist, are likely to be in the
paperwork, the wording, or the signage, not just in the fact you
were away. That is why I would protect the deadline first and
then tighten the argument.
My practical answer is this. Do not miss the tribunal deadline.
I can draft two short documents for you: first, a London
Tribunals appeal wording to get the appeal lodged in time;
second, a firm email to Ealing asking them to restore the £80
because you acted promptly once aware and have travel proof. You
would then lodge the appeal yourself and send the email
yourself. That is the safest route. Paying ends the matter;
appealing keeps the case alive without any appeal fee and gives
you a proper chance of cancellation.
#Post#: 115428--------------------------------------------------
Re: Ealing, PCN 53J, Entering Pedestrian zone, Oldfield Lane
South
DIR By: Hippocrates
Date: April 9, 2026, 7:41 am
---------------------------------------------------------
What's the panic for? NOR dated 20th March is deemed served
24th March so day 1 starts from then= 20th April to file the
appeal.
By the sounds of it, this is not a DIY appeal anyway. As for
energy, we have plenty.
Please show the PCN as there is a potential wording issue. And I
have had some successes on this. And all the other stuff
requested.
#Post#: 115469--------------------------------------------------
Re: Ealing, PCN 53J, Entering Pedestrian zone, Oldfield Lane
South
DIR By: bw0906
Date: April 9, 2026, 12:12 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Thank you everyone who has replied and showed your support. I
was out of the country for a funeral, and this was the last
thing I wanted to deal with on my return. But if the council
wants to play games, then sod it, I’m petty enough to make them
work for it. Here is absolutely everything in regard to this PCN
notice.
PCN number: AO07995441
Date of Contravention: 058/12/2025 15:14
Location of Contravention: Oldfield Lane South, Greenford (1)
(U)
HTML https://maps.app.goo.gl/iyYpx1XGMyMc36Jp7
It is a relatively new pedestrian zone, think it’s been in place
under a year.
Vehicle Registration: WF62 XWJ
Nature of Contravention: 53J Failing to comply with a
restriction on vehicles entering a pedestrian zone.
Using this link Ealing Council -
HTML https://ealing.tarantoportal.com/you
can view the details and
photos, but I’ll try and attach them to this post too.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the original PCN notice. I had
thrown it away last month since I hadn’t received a reply and
was naïve to think the council has dropped it.
This was the email I had sent after receiving the PCN:
Sent: Wednesday, December 24, 2025 3:46:46 PM
To: parkingrep@ealing.gov.uk <parkingrep@ealing.gov.uk>
Subject: Representation Against PCN AO07995441
To whom this may concern,
This email is written to formally challenge the Penalty Charge
Notice issued for vehicle WF62XWJ for the alleged traffic
contravention 53J – failing to comply with a restriction on
vehicles entering pedestrian zone Oldfield Lane South on
08/12/2025 at 15:14:48.
Kindly consider the following points:
1.
The new street sign and pedestrian zone was reportedly
introduced in March as shown in public forums. There appears to
be no news of this implementation on the official council
website. As the vehicle is registered outside of London and
Ealing Council, the driver will be unaware of this change until
they happen to drive on the restricted road.
2.
One the day in question, the camera footage indicates it was
raining heavily. This is evidenced by several pedestrians
carrying umbrellas in the footage. The signage is also
positioned above the eyeline of the driver entering the
pedestrian zone. It can be argued that under such conditions,
noticing small print on signage while maintaining road safety
(concentrating on the road ahead) is difficult which is
evidently what has occurred in this case.
3.
According to Public Notice Portal, the restriction zone begins
at house number 148 which is parallel to the signpost. By the
time the driver is able to notice the sign under such weather
conditions, they have passed the left turn that would have
allowed them to avoid entering the time restricted pedestrian
zone. There is no safe way to turn around beyond this point
without impeding the flow of traffic and pedestrians. The sign
should ideally be placed before the left turn to give drivers a
reasonable chance to comply.
4.
Unfortunately, the enforcement footage has conveniently left out
the drivers attempt to rectify their mistake at the roundabout
further ahead seen in the images. As previously mentioned, given
the conditions, the driver is unable to see the signage until it
is too late leaving them with no safe method of leaving the
zone. The only option now left is for the driver to safely turn
around at the roundabout ahead to exit the pedestrian zone.
5.
Notice AO07995441 is the first offence registered to vehicle
WF62XWJ and kindly ask for discretionary leniency given the
circumstances listed above.
Thank you for taking these mitigating factors into account and
hope you consider cancelling the PCN. Please reply to this email
if you have any further questions.
Wishing you and all the staff at Ealing Council a Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Yours Faithfully,
X
To which I received this standard email:
From: ParkingRep <ParkingRep@ealing.gov.uk>
Sent: Wednesday, December 24, 2025 3:47:10 PM
Subject: RE: Representation Against PCN AO07995441
Thank you for your email.
**Please do not reply to this message as it is an automated
response**
Response times
Informal challenges = 30 working days
Formal* representations = 30 working days
*We will consider any written challenge submitted against the
issue of a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) up until the issue of a
Charge Ccertificate. However, correspondence is only considered
to be ‘formal’ once a Notice to Owner, Enforcement Notice or
postal Penalty Charge Notice has been served to the registered
keeper of the vehicle.
We aim to respond to all representations within the time periods
stated above. Please avoid contacting us for an update about
your case during this time, as this may cause further delay.
Please also allow extra time for your correspondence to reach us
if you have sent it in by post.
If your correspondence is received within the discounted period
stated on the PCN, we will place the case on hold and honour
the discounted amount regardless of how long it takes for a
response to be issued.
Correspondence received after the issue of a Charge Certificate
or Order for Recovery will be placed on to the case but there is
currently no specific time period within which a response will
be sent to you. Equally, if correspondence is received after a
case has been paid in full, it will be placed on to the record
but there is no statutory response period.
If you wish to contest the issue of a penalty at either the
informal or formal stages then please do not make payment.
Doing so will close the case and there is no form of appeal once
the case is paid and closed.
Your details
Please ensure that you provide your PCN reference number,
vehicle registration number, name and current address details
when corresponding with us. Without these details we may not be
able to locate your records and the case may progress.
Formal representations
Responses to formal representations are sent to the DVLA named
registered keeper only. Once your representation has been
received the case will be placed on hold and investigated. If
the PCN is not cancelled then a Notice of Rejection will be
served to the registered keeper of the vehicle with an option to
make a payment or appeal to the London Tribunal.
You can check the status of your PCN by accessing our website:
HTML https://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/201180/tickets_and_fines/2029/view_a_penalty_charge_notice
Please do not reply to this message - it is an automated
response.
Many thanks,
Parking Services
London borough of Ealing
As mentioned in my original post, I heard nothing back from them
until I returned and checked my post box on the 8th. I have
attached pictures of the letter.
HTML https://imgpile.com/p/dMsMpTO
I tried calling and had no luck. I submitted a challenge
including proof of flight tickets on the portal. Please see
below:
From: ealing@tarantopermits.com <ealing@tarantopermits.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 8, 2026 4:02:12 PM
Subject: Acknowledgement Email
*DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL.This is an automated email and the
email address is not monitored*
I can confirm that we have received your challenge, which will
be attached onto the case.
Please find below the information you submitted online.
Submission Date/Time: 08/04/2026 16:02:10
PCN Reference: AO07995441
Submission Reference: 30078970
Personal information redacted
Notes:
Your Notes: I am writing to make a formal complaint regarding
the handling of the above Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) and the
subsequent increase of the charge to £160. I received a letter
titled Notice of Rejection of Formal Representation on 8 April
2026. The letter itself is dated 20 March 2026. I wish to make
it clear that I was out of the country from 22 March to 7 April
2026, and therefore I am unable to confirm the exact date the
letter arrived at my address. (It hadn't arrived by the 22nd)
Due to my absence, I was not in a position to view or respond to
this correspondence within the timeframe expected. Despite this,
the charge has now been increased to £160, which I dispute and
refuse to pay. I would also like to highlight that the council
had 86 days to respond to my formal representation. Having taken
this length of time, it is unreasonable that enforcement action
has progressed during the brief two week period when I was
overseas and unable to access my post. I respectfully request
that, in light of these circumstances, the charge be reverted to
£80, as the escalation was beyond my control and not due to any
failure or negligence on my part. I have attached my flight
tickets as proof of my absence with my family's details
redacted.
Uploaded Evidence:
c882eea9-0eb1-4e8e-9d9d-28e4dce08c3f.jpg
I also sent another email to the parkingrep@ealing.gov.uk in
hopes that they would see it in time but that’s incredibly
unlikely. I then received the same automated reply as before.
Sent: Wednesday, April 8, 2026 4:06:59 PM
To: parkingrep@ealing.gov.uk <parkingrep@ealing.gov.uk>
Subject: Fw: Acknowledgement Email
Hello,
I have tried calling several times and have not been able to get
through to a human being.
Please see below the complaint that I have made. Please can you
let me when the charge amount has been amended. I'd rather not
have to take this to an independent adjudicator but I refuse to
pay the inflated charge.
Kind regards,
X
Things to add:
It seems like this is a location people get caught out on a lot.
I’ve seen other forum posts on here where people have mentioned
the exact same contravention.
There are several posts as well on facebook about people
complaining that the signage is not adequate:
HTML https://www.facebook.com/groups/around.northolt/posts/2575583946151141/
HTML https://www.facebook.com/groups/around.northolt/posts/2455855414790662/
I’ve asked someone who works locally to drive along the road and
film it from the car when they get a chance to see if that the
blue sign exists and whether it is readable.
The camera is also before the sign, so there’s 100% chance
you’re going to get caught and even when you do notice the sign
there is absolutely no where to go.
The school the pedestrian zone is supposed to be protecting is
after the roundabout that I turned around at anyway, so it seems
a bit silly.
Once again, thank you for looking into this. I really do
appreciate it. 😊
#Post#: 115470--------------------------------------------------
Re: Ealing, PCN 53J, Entering Pedestrian zone, Oldfield Lane
South
DIR By: bw0906
Date: April 9, 2026, 12:14 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Ex CPS here link ---
>
> The sensible next step is to register an appeal with London
Tribunals now, not to pay £160 straight away. After a Notice of
Rejection, you have 28 days from service of that notice to
either pay or appeal. There is no fee to appeal, and costs are
only awarded in rare cases where someone has behaved
frivolously, vexatiously or wholly unreasonably. London
Tribunals also says you should send the appeal in promptly even
if all your evidence is not ready, and say that the rest will
follow.
>
> Your being abroad is understandable, but I would not put that
forward as the main legal point. The timetable runs from service
of the notice, not from when you got back and opened the post,
so the flight tickets are better used to explain the timing and
to support a request that Ealing re-offer the £80.
>
> The 86-day delay is arguable, but it is not a guaranteed
winner. For London moving-traffic PCNs, London Tribunals says
councils should normally respond within 3 months, and its
published material says the 56-day rule is for parking matters,
not moving-traffic cases. So delay is a supporting fairness
point, not a silver bullet.
>
> The weak part in the case at the moment is that nobody can
properly assess the real merits without seeing the PCN, your
original representations, and the Notice of Rejection. The
stronger points, if they exist, are likely to be in the
paperwork, the wording, or the signage, not just in the fact you
were away. That is why I would protect the deadline first and
then tighten the argument.
>
> My practical answer is this. Do not miss the tribunal
deadline. I can draft two short documents for you: first, a
London Tribunals appeal wording to get the appeal lodged in
time; second, a firm email to Ealing asking them to restore the
£80 because you acted promptly once aware and have travel proof.
You would then lodge the appeal yourself and send the email
yourself. That is the safest route. Paying ends the matter;
appealing keeps the case alive without any appeal fee and gives
you a proper chance of cancellation.
>
--- End Quote ---
That would be really helpful if you don't mind. I'd be extremely
grateful.
#Post#: 115502--------------------------------------------------
Re: Ealing, PCN 53J, Entering Pedestrian zone, Oldfield Lane
South
DIR By: bw0906
Date: April 10, 2026, 3:48 am
---------------------------------------------------------
I did some digging around last night and found some interesting
information.
HTML https://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/201146/neighbourhood_and_streets/2610/ealing_school_streets/2
talks about the signage and that there are 2 signs at the
entrances to the scheme in accordance of TSRGD 2016. There isn't
because the blue sign mentioned in the letter is not a legal
traffic sign (I think?)
They talk about advance warning with signs saying "no right turn
ahead" etc but the blue sign only says road ahead closed and
doesn't specify distance.
HTML https://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/201146/neighbourhood_and_streets/2610/ealing_school_streets
apparently the aim of these school zones is to reduce childhood
obesity, but I don't know how me being fined for accidentally
driving down the road fixes that problem.
The feedback evaluation done before implementing the zone shows
majority of people bar one small population were very against
including staff of the school.
HTML https://www.ealing.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/20372/evaluation_report_coston_primaryedward_betham_cofe.pdf
That being said, the officer decided in the name of safety
(which I didn't find evidence for) agreed to go ahead with the
school zone.
HTML https://www.ealing.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/20371/officer_decision_report_including_eaa_-_tranche_7_school_streets.pdf
Additionally, I have identified an article detailing the
revenues generated from individual school streets schemes.
HTML https://www.ealing.news/news/ealing-councils-school-street-fines-top-15m/
The Coston and Edward Betham Primary School zone—where my
alleged contravention occurred—was introduced on 10/03/2025
(less than a year by the time the article was written), had
already generated £2,461,049.48 in revenue.
The school streets programme began in 2020, yet this location
has exceeded the revenue of every other scheme introduced since
that time in under a year. Such an exceptional level of
enforcement strongly suggests that the restriction is not being
clearly or adequately conveyed to motorists. If this doesn't
prove that the signage is inadequate, then I don't know what
will.
#Post#: 115881--------------------------------------------------
Re: Ealing, PCN 53J, Entering Pedestrian zone, Oldfield Lane
South
DIR By: bw0906
Date: April 14, 2026, 1:18 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Hi,
Does anyone have any advice or guidance on the next steps based
on the information I have provided above? I’m wary that my last
day to submit to the tribunal is on Friday. I have had no
response back from Ealing about reinstating the discount period.
I might send a stern email tomorrow morning to nudge them.
I visited the site of the contravention to see what’s so special
about it. There are 2 signs at the entrance of the pedestrian
zone but part of it is obscured by a sign post - I don’t know if
that’s something that could be argued. The main sign that you
can see on the camera is really tall and you can see the height
difference of the two either side of the road. I tried to
measure it with a tape measure and couldn’t reach so apple
measure was the best I could do.
HTML https://imgpile.com/p/s0p97sO
Many thanks.
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