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#Post#: 124480--------------------------------------------------
London Camden: Blue badge user gets ticket
DIR By: Endorfin
Date: July 13, 2026, 5:12 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Quick bit of background on the driver which will explain the
delay in posting up.
Driver is medically and culturally Deaf and communicates in BSL
(British Sign Language)
For the unaware, while BSL is based on the English language, the
grammatical structure is different which makes standard written
English difficult for Deaf people to fully understand.
Driver has received some help in posting this up.
TDLR: Driver parked on double yellow lines near Euston Station
after checking OK with blue badge and subsequently received
parking ticket.
Long version:
Driver drove from his home in Hampshire to pick up his 91 year
old mother who had travelled from her home in North Wales to
visit her son. Due to the mother's age and severe disabilities
(sight, hearing and mobility) she didn't feel that she could
manage any changes, the only direct train without changes was to
Euston. The driver received help checking online for available
parking before travelling and the info received was that Euston
station had free all day parking for blue badge holders
(screenshot dated 1 week before travel to show this information)
The driver's mother's train was scheduled to arrive for 12.30pm
on 17.06.26 and the driver arrived at Euston station at 12.10 to
find that the car park didn't exist - we now know that the
information he received was outdated and that there was no car
park due to HS2 works being carried out. He had to detour around
the station, less than 2 miles but in central London this took
30 minutes, he was now worrying that his being late, his mother
wouldn't have any assistance arriving at the station.
On top of this, perhaps due to the stop start slow traffic in
the heat, the automatic gearbox on his car started playing up,
not engaging when traffic started moving - and breaking down in
the middle of London would be an absolute disaster so he was
panicking at this point. Eventually at 12.40pm he found a street
close to the station, Endsleigh Gardens that is apparently in
Camden, the parking sign stated the following: Mon - Fri 8.30am
- 6.30pm Saturday 8.30am - 1.30pm. Pay by phone 020 3003 2532
quoting location 13420. Max stay 2 hours
Obviously making a telephone call for a deaf person without
clear speech was not an option, there was no app option listed.
He sent the photos of the parking sign and street name to a
friend asking to quickly check if parking with a blue badge was
OK here. The friend checked and sent the following screenshot
which stated that there was no charge for parking with a blue
badge at this location in Camden.
He placed his blue badge and time clock on the vehicle and left
at 12.45pm.
Arriving at the station he found his mother being looked after
by some station staff. It took some time for them to get back to
the car as both have mobility issues, and when he got back to
the car at 1.18pm he found there was a parking ticket on the
windscreen. The ticket states observed from 12.46pm to 12.50pm a
total of 4 minutes. It's felt however that the CEO was likely
watching him and waiting for him to leave, quite visably
disabled with mobility issues before going over to put the
ticket on the car.
Apologies for the long winded explanation, some of which may or
may not be relevant to any appeal.
Obviously we now know that info provided by Google can not
always be relied on to be accurate, however in the case of the
street parking information this was an emergency situation where
the parking conditions of this street in Camden couldn't be
strutinised in depth, and even now it seems an absolute
minefield finding out whether you can park with a blue badge or
not, we are still unclear whether he was permitted to park there
with a blue badge or not.
The driver isn't a frequent visitor to London so is unfamiliar
with parking rules there.
The 14 day window for a reduced penalty has passed and it's now
beyond the 28 days too. No appeal has yet been made, the driver
has asked friends for help and been referred to this forum.
Attached below is:
Info dated 10.6.26 about free disabled parking at Euston station
car park.
[img width=800.0000610351562
height=642]
HTML https://i.postimg.cc/KjRKXnMj/Screenshot-2026-07-13-100149.png[/img]
HTML https://postimages.org/
The original PCN that was placed on the windscreen, front and
back.
HTML https://i.postimg.cc/7LmjC75P/Screenshot-20260713-103712-Gallery.jpg
HTML https://postimages.org/
HTML https://i.postimg.cc/zf04LWyf/20260713-090558.jpg
HTML https://postimages.org/
Photos of street name and parking sign.
HTML https://i.postimg.cc/JhPSyJs4/IMG-20260617-WA0009.jpg
HTML https://postimages.org/
HTML https://i.postimg.cc/Gpq6BY4m/IMG-20260617-WA0008.jpg
HTML https://postimages.org/
Screenshots showing parking info for the location sent to the
driver by a friend (time stamped)
[img width=184.00001525878906
height=600]
HTML https://i.postimg.cc/8CtxFW7s/IMG-20260617-WA0010.jpg[/img]
HTML https://postimages.org/
HTML https://i.postimg.cc/d04g7dhL/IMG-20260713-WA0002.jpg
HTML https://postimages.org/
Any help and advice gratefully received.
*for information on how being pre-lingually Deaf affects some
deaf people
HTML https://signhealth.org.uk/resources/learn-about-deafness/deaf-or-deaf/*
#Post#: 124483--------------------------------------------------
Re: London: Blue badge user gets ticket
DIR By: Endorfin
Date: July 13, 2026, 5:21 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Apologies, it seems I miscalculated the 28 day period, it seems
there is until 15th July to lodge an appeal?
#Post#: 124493--------------------------------------------------
Re: London Camden: Blue badge user gets ticket
DIR By: ManxTom
Date: July 13, 2026, 7:21 am
---------------------------------------------------------
AIUI Camden has two different disabled parking schemes: one for
blue badges called the blue zone and a second for green badges
called the green zone
I think Endl#sleigh Gardens is in the green zone and therefore
requires a green badge.
If you look at Camden's website rather than relying on an AI
answer you'll see what I mean:
HTML https://www.camden.gov.uk/where-you-can-and-cannot-park-with-a-blue-badge-in-camden
I'm no expert on parking so I can't help you any further but I'm
sure others more knowlegeable than me will be along shortly to
help your friend.
NB You imply your friend might have difficuty comprehending
written signs in English because he has adopted a Deaf identity.
Could this have affected his understanding of the parking
requirements?
#Post#: 124499--------------------------------------------------
Re: London Camden: Blue badge user gets ticket
DIR By: tincombe
Date: July 13, 2026, 7:57 am
---------------------------------------------------------
The authority must consider all reps before a NTO is served.
They may not serve a NTO until the 28-day period has elapsed, in
this case on 14th July.
It's felt however that the CEO was likely watching him and
waiting for him to leave, quite visably disabled with mobility
issues before going over to put the ticket on the car.
Really! I don't think so and IMO put this completely out of your
friend's mind because otherwise it might affect the tone of
their reps.
Anyone who has a driving licence is considered to have the
necessary competence, therefore everything to do with their
disabilities goes to mitigation(but see below), I would
therefore suggest focusing on the substantive legal issues.
IMO, there are two at this level of reps:
1. The front of the PCN is unreadable and therefore does not
convey the mandatory information. The issue of clarity and
disabilities overlap here IMO.
2. The driver was engaged in the act of assisted boarding, which
is an arguable defence.
I would add a third based upon this duty which falls to
councils:
the order making authority shall take such steps as are
necessary to secure—
(a)before the order comes into force, the placing on or near the
road of such traffic signs in such positions as the order making
authority may consider requisite for securing that adequate
information as to the effect of the order is made available to
persons using the road;
(b)the maintenance of such signs for so long as the order
remains in force
IMO, a traffic sign in, as in this case, what's known as
Camden's 'Green Zone' should indicate that the use of a BB does
not apply. IMO, this warning must be present and a council may
not fall back on 'it's on a website' because this takes us into
the realms of external sources of info..and you've already
quoted examples of how these can mislead.
In reps, I would put this third, perhaps using expressed
as...'Given that my BB was displayed correctly, then I can only
assume that for some reason its use of was not permissible in
this bay. But how is a motorist supposed to know this because
nothing on the sign or elsewhere in the vicinity gives this
information?'
Just some thoughts.
#Post#: 124625--------------------------------------------------
Re: London Camden: Blue badge user gets ticket
DIR By: Endorfin
Date: July 14, 2026, 7:59 am
---------------------------------------------------------
I will need to help the driver submit an appeal soon.
Taking on board the comments here and tincombe's observation
that the ticket text was illegible (this is true, I'm unable to
read the text beneath the black print) I reached out to Gemini
to help me draft an appeal, which I paste below.
I will submitting this later today, unless anyone has any
further suggestions. Many thanks.
========
I am writing to challenge this Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) as
the driver and Registered Keeper of the vehicle. I submit that
this PCN must be cancelled on the grounds of procedural
invalidity, a statutory boarding exemption, and inadequate
signage.
1. Procedural Invalidity: Illegible PCN and Failure to Convey
Statutory Information
Under Schedule 2 of the Civil Enforcement of Road Traffic
Contraventions (England) Regulations 2022, a PCN must clearly
state the mandatory information regarding payment periods,
discount periods, and the consequences of non-payment.
As shown in the attached photograph of the physical PCN affixed
to my vehicle, a significant portion of the mandatory statutory
text is completely obscured. The heavy, black pre-printed
template text (including the warning "IT IS A CRIMINAL
OFFENCE...", the Camden logo, and "Traffic Management Act 2004")
has been printed directly over the dynamic text.
As a result, the critical sentences explaining the 14-day
discount period and the 28-day payment window are entirely
unreadable and obscured. Because the PCN fails to clearly and
legibly convey this mandatory statutory information, the notice
is procedurally defective and legally unenforceable.
2. Statutory Exemption: Assisted Boarding of a Vulnerable
Passenger
Even if the PCN were valid, the alleged contravention did not
occur because the vehicle was engaged in the exempt activity of
assisted boarding.
I had stopped my vehicle at Endsleigh Gardens for the sole
purpose of collecting my 91-year-old mother from Euston Station.
My mother is profoundly disabled, suffering from severe
mobility, sight, and hearing impairments. She required physical
assistance from station staff and myself to transfer from the
station platform to my vehicle.
Under established parking law and precedent, the boarding
exemption permits a vehicle to wait for as long as necessary to
collect a passenger. For elderly, highly vulnerable, or disabled
passengers, this exemption explicitly includes the time required
for the driver to leave the vehicle unattended, enter the
station terminal, locate the passenger, and escort them back to
the car.
The CEO’s observation time of just 4 minutes (12:46 PM to 12:50
PM) was wholly inadequate to accommodate the assisted collection
of a severely disabled 91-year-old passenger from a major,
complex terminal like Euston.
3. Failure to Provide Adequate Roadside Signage (The "Green
Zone" Restriction)
I parked my vehicle in good faith, displaying my Blue Badge and
time clock correctly. I have since been informed that Endsleigh
Gardens falls within Camden’s local "Green Zone," where standard
Blue Badges are restricted.
However, under the Local Authorities' Traffic Orders
(Regulations) 1996, the council has a strict duty to place and
maintain signs that secure "adequate information as to the
effect of the order" to road users.
There was absolutely nothing on the physical roadside sign, nor
anywhere in the vicinity of the bay, indicating that standard
Blue Badges are excluded or that "Green Zone" rules apply. A
motorist cannot be expected to consult external council websites
to uncover hidden local variations when the physical sign on the
street indicates a standard pay-by-phone bay. Because the signs
failed to convey the effect of the traffic order, the
restriction is unenforceable.
4. Failure to Make Reasonable Adjustments (Equality Act 2010)
I am culturally and medically Deaf. The bay signage directed
users to pay exclusively via a voice telephone number. This
voice-only payment method presented an absolute communication
barrier, making compliance physically impossible for me. No
non-verbal alternative (such as SMS or text-to-pay instructions)
was provided on the sign. This constitutes a direct failure to
provide "reasonable adjustments" for disabled motorists under
Section 20 of the Equality Act 2010.
For these reasons, I request that this invalid PCN be cancelled
immediately.
#Post#: 124639--------------------------------------------------
Re: London Camden: Blue badge user gets ticket
DIR By: stamfordman
Date: July 14, 2026, 9:08 am
---------------------------------------------------------
The green zone issue won't work - the blue badge book is clear
about checking for BB parking rules in any local authority and
four London boroughs are included as having special rules/zones.
But you can point out that the expectation of a car park meant
it was felt unnecessary to check.
Camden does use discretion for BB holders in the green zone - I
would tone down the formality and make it shorter and use
conversational language more applicable to an informal
challenge, while still stressing there are two statutory grounds
for cancellation (PCN printing, assisted boarding).
#Post#: 124642--------------------------------------------------
Re: London Camden: Blue badge user gets ticket
DIR By: tincombe
Date: July 14, 2026, 9:17 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Agree about the tone.
I received a PCN the front of which is unreadable, see enclosed.
I understand stamfordman's argument, but I think the point is
arguable where, as in this case, only part of a council's area
falls within the BB exemption. As the OP said, they had to drive
around just to find a parking place which means that their
actual final parking place was unknown when they started.
How could anyone carry out targeted online research in this
situation?
#Post#: 124645--------------------------------------------------
Re: London Camden: Blue badge user gets ticket
DIR By: stamfordman
Date: July 14, 2026, 9:27 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: tincombe link ---
>
> How could anyone carry out targeted online research in this
situation?
>
--- End Quote ---
That's why I said the circumstances of finding no car park can
be stated. But this doesn't render local parking rules set
out/flagged in the BB book as inapplicable. It's mitigation and
in the absence of the other issues could be recommended as
compelling by an adjudicator as, usually, BB holders have free
parking in pay bays.
#Post#: 124667--------------------------------------------------
Re: London Camden: Blue badge user gets ticket
DIR By: tincombe
Date: July 14, 2026, 11:34 am
---------------------------------------------------------
As I've read elsewhere, the BB booklet is guidance, not the law.
I would contend that the regulatory requirements of LATOR are
not set aside by the Exemption for Disabled Persons regs:
HTML https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2000/683/regulation/5/made
A,B and C are straightforward.
Each of the following is an excepted area–
(a)the City of London;
(b)the City of Westminster;
(c)the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea;
As for D..
(d)that part of the London borough of Camden, bounded by and
including the borough boundary, Euston Road, Upper Woburn Place,
Tavistock Square, Woburn Place, Russell Square, Southampton Row,
Theobalds Road and Clerkenwell Road.
#Post#: 124784--------------------------------------------------
Re: London Camden: Blue badge user gets ticket
DIR By: Endorfin
Date: July 15, 2026, 8:10 am
---------------------------------------------------------
The appeal window was still open this morning and I've submitted
the appeal, the response box was limited to 1,000 characters.
Due to time limits, I was unable to run the concised draft here
first, but this is what was posted, along with the supporting
evidence. Hopefully Camden Council will be empathetic to the
circumstances.
=====
PCN is unreadable: As shown in the photo, the printer overlaid
heavy black template text over the details, completely obscuring
my payment/discount windows. This procedural defect makes it
invalid.
Assisted boarding: I was collecting my 91yo disabled mother from
Euston (train ticket attached). Under assisted boarding
exemptions, I can leave the car to assist a vulnerable
passenger. A 4-minute observation is not enough time to find and
escort her from the station.
Emergency: I planned ahead (see June 10 screenshot) travelling
from Hampshire but Euston's car park was gone due to HS2. My
gearbox began failing in gridlock traffic. Fearing breakdown &
leaving my mother stranded, I parked in Endsleigh Gardens,
displaying my Blue Badge. Being deaf (BSL user without clear
speech) voice-only pay-by-phone was an impossible barrier.
Emergency Google search (attached time stamped screenshot) said
parking was free; no street signs warned of 'Green Zone' rules.
=====
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