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#Post#: 117390--------------------------------------------------
Re: A month of driving in the Bristol CAZ - just received first
PCN (turns I'm ULEZ compliant but not CAZ)
DIR By: beansprout
Date: April 30, 2026, 5:09 am
---------------------------------------------------------
I’ve contacted Toyota’s homologation department to request a
certificate of conformity. Fingers crossed that gets me what I
need to convince them. It does have a wait time of 10-15 days
though..
I guess I wait for that to come through before submitting any
appeals?
#Post#: 117398--------------------------------------------------
Re: A month of driving in the Bristol CAZ - just received first
PCN (turns I'm ULEZ compliant but not CAZ)
DIR By: fraser.mitchell
Date: April 30, 2026, 6:11 am
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--- Quote from: beansprout link ---
>
> I’ve contacted Toyota’s homologation department to request a
certificate of conformity. Fingers crossed that gets me what I
need to convince them. It does have a wait time of 10-15 days
though..
>
> I guess I wait for that to come through before submitting any
appeals?
>
--- End Quote ---
No, you mustn't miss any deadline on the PCN or it's game over.
Best to submit something and say that you will be sending the
homologation certificate of conformity for your car, but it
takes 10-15 days, so request the PCN is put on hold until you
submit copies.
#Post#: 117471--------------------------------------------------
Re: A month of driving in the Bristol CAZ - just received first
PCN (turns I'm ULEZ compliant but not CAZ)
DIR By: beansprout
Date: April 30, 2026, 3:40 pm
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Yep, will make sure not to miss any appeal deadlines.
The deadline for the first PCN is 23rd May
#Post#: 118896--------------------------------------------------
Re: A month of driving in the Bristol CAZ - just received first
PCN (turns I'm ULEZ compliant but not CAZ)
DIR By: beansprout
Date: May 16, 2026, 2:52 pm
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So I paid the £75 to get a Certificate of Conformity from
Toyota. Unfortunately it just had the same details as my V5C,
NOx emissions of just above the Euro 4
standard.

I’m planning on sending an appeal of
something along the lines of the following. Would really
appreciate any comments or suggestions before I send it off!
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to formally appeal the above-listed Penalty Charge
Notices (PCNs) issued for driving within the Bristol Clean Air
Zone (CAZ). While I acknowledge that the vehicle was driven in
the zone, I kindly ask the Council to consider the significant
mitigating circumstances surrounding these contraventions and to
exercise its discretion in this matter.
1. Honest Mistake and ULEZ Exemption Discrepancy
My vehicle is a 2002 Toyota Yaris Verso Petrol. I was under the
genuine and honest belief that my vehicle was exempt from the
Bristol CAZ because it is officially recognised as compliant and
exempt from charges in the London Ultra Low Emission Zone
(ULEZ). (I have attached proof of my vehicle’s ULEZ compliance
for your reference). Because these schemes share similar
environmental goals, I understandably assumed that a vehicle
permitted freely in the London ULEZ would meet the national
framework standards for Clean Air Zones. The discrepancy between
the two schemes caused genuine confusion and led directly to
this honest mistake.
2. Multiple PCNs Accrued Before First Notification
Because of the slowness of the system and the time it takes to
process and post PCNs, I did not receive the very first notice
until approximately a month after my first entry into the zone.
During those weeks, I continued to drive in the zone completely
unaware that I was committing a contravention or accruing
charges.
3. Immediate Corrective Action Taken
As soon as the very first PCN landed on my doormat and I was
alerted to my error, I took immediate corrective action. I
immediately paid any daily CAZ fees that were still within the
payable time window to prevent further fines, and I completely
ceased driving my vehicle within the Bristol CAZ. Had I been
notified by the Council immediately after my first entry, none
of the subsequent contraventions would have occurred. I submit
that these ~13 PCNs should be viewed as a single, ongoing
misunderstanding rather than a deliberate flouting of the rules.
4. Disproportionate Penalties
The cumulative total being demanded for these PCNs is an
extortionate amount of money that I simply cannot afford, and
enforcing them will cause me severe financial hardship. I am
respectfully asking for leniency, as penalising a driver with
roughly a dozen fines for an honest mistake made before a single
warning was received is highly punitive and disproportionate.
I acted in good faith at all times, and I rectified my behaviour
the very day I was made aware of the issue. Therefore, I
respectfully request that the Council exercises its discretion
to cancel these PCNs.
Yours faithfully,
#Post#: 118921--------------------------------------------------
Re: A month of driving in the Bristol CAZ - just received first
PCN (turns I'm ULEZ compliant but not CAZ)
DIR By: fraser.mitchell
Date: May 16, 2026, 6:11 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Looks reasonable to me, let's hope Bristol are also reasonable !
I would also recommend you start a parallel track with your
local councillor on the operation of this scheme. It surely
cannot be right that Bristol impose a completely different
emissions standard to London. Of course this is typical madness
of Britain 2026.
#Post#: 118933--------------------------------------------------
Re: A month of driving in the Bristol CAZ - just received first
PCN (turns I'm ULEZ compliant but not CAZ)
DIR By: tincombe
Date: May 17, 2026, 4:29 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[edit: I am viewing the forum from abroad and have noticed that
sometimes images are not loading, therefore if you have posted
these please see my comments in this context]
Your posts are confusing.
On 24 April you posted: 'I’m going to Canada for 5 months in two
weeks time.'
Where are you now?
You also posted that you had actually received only one PCN and
speculated that as you had driven in the zone regularly more
would follow. But in all your subsequent posts you've not
referred to receiving any. You also refer to using a family
member's address for DVLA purposes which IMO flags up another
issue.
Also you posted in your draft: Because of the slowness of the
system and the time it takes to process and post PCNs, I did not
receive the very first notice until approximately a month after
my first entry into the zone.
As you're hoping for their discretion, I would tone down this
point. Also, it is very, very unusual for what you claim to be
the case unless the vehicle concerned was hired or leased. But
this would be unlikely for a car of your age. The applicable
date for service is 2 working days after posting, not when it's
forwarded by a family member.
We haven't seen any PCNs or timelines, which we would normally
check for procedural compliance. As far as I can see, you told
us the latest date for reps for PCN 1, let's hope your calcs are
correct.
#Post#: 119002--------------------------------------------------
Re: A month of driving in the Bristol CAZ - just received first
PCN (turns I'm ULEZ compliant but no
DIR By: beansprout
Date: May 17, 2026, 5:01 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Hey tincombe
--- Quote ---
>
> On 24 April you posted: 'I’m going to Canada for 5
months in two weeks time.'
>
> Where are you now?
>
--- End Quote ---
I am now in Canada
--- Quote ---
>
> You also posted that you had actually received only one PCN
and speculated that as you had driven in the zone regularly more
would follow. But in all your subsequent posts you've not
referred to receiving any. You also refer to using a family
member's address for DVLA purposes which IMO flags up another
issue.
>
--- End Quote ---
11 more PCNs have arrived. I'm currently waiting for Monday to
be able to call the Bristol CAZ hotline and ask them for all the
PCN numbers to make sure I don't miss any. What is this other
issue you allude to?
--- Quote ---
>
> Also you posted in your draft: Because of the slowness of the
system and the time it takes to process and post PCNs, I did not
receive the very first notice until approximately a month after
my first entry into the zone.
>
> As you're hoping for their discretion, I would tone down this
point. Also, it is very, very unusual for what you claim to be
the case unless the vehicle concerned was hired or leased. But
this would be unlikely for a car of your age. The applicable
date for service is 2 working days after posting, not when it's
forwarded by a family member.
>
--- End Quote ---
Sorry if I wasn't clear. The details of the first PCN, to
illustrate the timeline:
---------------------------------------------------------
Date of detection:
---------------------------------------------------------
27/03/26.
---------------------------------------------------------
Date charge was due:
---------------------------------------------------------
02/04/26.
---------------------------------------------------------
Date of notice / date of posting:
---------------------------------------------------------
23/04/26.
---------------------------------------------------------
Date of service (2 working days after):
---------------------------------------------------------
27/04/26.
---------------------------------------------------------
So the date of service is a month after the alleged detection.
Nothing to do with any subsequent forwarding etc. I'm aware that
all that matters is date of service.
Maybe I should reword my appeal to say "I was only served the
notice a month after entry into the zone" rather than "I only
received.."
--- Quote ---
>
> We haven't seen any PCNs or timelines, which we would normally
check for procedural compliance. As far as I can see, you told
us the latest date for reps for PCN 1, let's hope your calcs are
correct.
>
--- End Quote ---
I'll upload images I have of the first PCN. I haven't managed to
get copies of the other notices yet.
#Post#: 119003--------------------------------------------------
Re: A month of driving in the Bristol CAZ - just received first
PCN (turns I'm ULEZ compliant but not CAZ)
DIR By: beansprout
Date: May 17, 2026, 5:10 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Here's the first PCN:
HTML https://ibb.co/album/X2Hv4X
#Post#: 119031--------------------------------------------------
Re: A month of driving in the Bristol CAZ - just received first
PCN (turns I'm ULEZ compliant but not CAZ)
DIR By: tincombe
Date: May 18, 2026, 5:21 am
---------------------------------------------------------
As far as I'm aware, there's a 28-day limit on service of a CAZ
PCN, therefore as yours was served on 27th April which was 32
days after the day on which the contravention occurred IMO it's
out of time and no penalty is due.
If one of the limited exceptions to the 28-day rule applies,
it's for the authority to prove.
Wait for others.
#Post#: 119054--------------------------------------------------
Re: A month of driving in the Bristol CAZ - just received first
PCN (turns I'm ULEZ compliant but not CAZ)
DIR By: fraser.mitchell
Date: May 18, 2026, 7:52 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: tincombe link ---
>
> As far as I'm aware, there's a 28-day limit on service of a
CAZ PCN, therefore as yours was served on 27th April which was
32 days after the day on which the contravention occurred IMO
it's out of time and no penalty is due.
> If one of the limited exceptions to the 28-day rule applies,
it's for the authority to prove.
>
> Wait for others.
>
--- End Quote ---
I don't think there is any limit, other than fairness. Certainly
I can find nothing in here: -
HTML https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/1783/contents/made
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