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       #Post#: 7744--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Do I Stand a Chance at Tribunal?
   DIR By: ivanleo
       Date: October 18, 2023, 6:06 pm
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       Can you go and get a tape measure and measure the distance from
       the start of 19 to the end of 25?
       I reckon there's space for more than 4 cars, in which case the
       signage is ambiguous. It doesn't matter if 5 estates wouldn't
       fit, as long as 4 average cars could fit behind your car and
       before the boundary between numbers 19 and 17, then you cannot
       have been in the suspended area.
       #Post#: 7796--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Do I Stand a Chance at Tribunal?
   DIR By: gbawekanu
       Date: October 19, 2023, 9:28 am
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       I just measured the distance between 19 and 25 and the distance
       is 21.1 metres.
       I found on the website below that the average car length in the
       UK is around 4.4 metres.
  HTML https://www.nationwidevehiclecontracts.co.uk/guides/ask-nvc/understanding-car-size-and-dimensions#:~:text=What%20is%20standard%20size%20car,1821mm%20wide%2C%20and%201534mm%20tall.
       #Post#: 7801--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Do I Stand a Chance at Tribunal?
   DIR By: DancingDad
       Date: October 19, 2023, 10:08 am
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       TSRGD puts the minimum length of a parallel parking bay as 4.5m
       Even if that figure is used there is still 3.1m spare with 4
       "standard" cars parked...or rather not parked.
       #Post#: 7805--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Do I Stand a Chance at Tribunal?
   DIR By: gbawekanu
       Date: October 19, 2023, 11:17 am
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       Thanks DancingDad.
       I am planning to send the draft below as my appeal. Any
       suggestions please?
       "The measured span between the starting point at 19 Atherton
       Street and the conclusion at 25 Atherton Street is 21.1 meters.
       According to The Traffic Signs Regulations and General
       Directions 2016 (TSRGD), a parking bay must have a minimum
       length of 4.5 meters. This unequivocally demonstrates that the
       vehicle is not situated within the designated area for four
       parking spaces as indicated on the suspended parking sign."
       #Post#: 7810--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Do I Stand a Chance at Tribunal?
   DIR By: DancingDad
       Date: October 19, 2023, 12:07 pm
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       There's got to be a better way of phrasing...not sure what at
       the moment?
       But minimum length suggest that the council could define each
       space as 5.275m.... ie exact 4 spaces for  the 21.1m available.
       It's the ambiguity that counts for me.
       Suspended outside 17 to 25 but no specific limits, the only clue
       being 4 car spaces.
       Is this centre to centre, edge to edge and if the latter,
       leading edge or outside edge or one of each?
       TSRGD gives a minimum space length as 4.5m, average UK car is
       4.4m, British Parking Association recommends 4.8m for parking
       bay length, even if the council allocated 5m per space, it still
       doesn't fill the area that the authority seems to be claiming
       and means any minimal overlap into "their" space is trivial,
       especially as they are not clear on the exact limits.
       #Post#: 7814--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Do I Stand a Chance at Tribunal?
   DIR By: Grant Urismo
       Date: October 19, 2023, 1:28 pm
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       It's going to be difficult to produce definitive evidence about
       what exactly 4 car spaces means, so I suggest putting the burden
       of doing that on to the council. I'd go with something along the
       lines of:
       "When I parked my car I read the suspension notice and
       diligently made sure that I left the required 4 car spaces
       behind me. If the council believe that there were less than 4
       car spaces behind my vehicle at the time that I parked, I
       require the council to provide me with a copy of whatever
       evidence they have that proves this point (including their
       definition of the length of a "car space" and the legal argument
       they intend to make that justifies this definition) so that I
       can make an informed decision about taking this case to the
       parking tribunal."
       #Post#: 7871--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Do I Stand a Chance at Tribunal?
   DIR By: gbawekanu
       Date: October 20, 2023, 9:26 am
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       Thanks Grant Urismo
       Appeal submitted.
       #Post#: 7873--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Do I Stand a Chance at Tribunal?
   DIR By: iispartan
       Date: October 20, 2023, 9:44 am
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       I had a very similar situation a few years ago and won on appeal
       at London tribunal. In summary, the adjudicator sided with me as
       on balance there was too much ambiguity around whether a
       contravention occurred. I post below an extract of the
       adjudicators concluding comments:
       The appellant in evidence before me highlighted referring to his
       written submissions, videos and photographs that the Traffic
       Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 provided at
       schedule 7, part 5 paragraphs 2(4) and 2(5) that generally where
       bays were divided to indicate a parking space
       then the length of the space was not to be less than 4500 with
       the maximum length of a parking bay
       maybe 6.6 m when considering spaces for disabled badge holders.
       Therefore on his calculations
       (using videos to demonstrate his calculations and position of
       his car) at 4.5 metres, 5 car spaces
       would be approx. 22.5 metres and his car was parked at least at
       24.1 metres.
       I have considered the totality of the evidence before me and I
       find that I cannot be satisfied on balance that the signage
       which highlight the suspension is adequate or clear for the
       purposes of the
       authority discharging their duties in demonstrating that the
       reasonable driver would have been aware
       of the exact length of the suspended bays. There is some
       ambiguity as to the length of a bay and further the exact length
       of the suspension was not properly marked out end to end in
       order to avoid any ambiguity.
       I find therefore given the totality of the evidence before me on
       balance, which includes lack of
       adequate signage and the fact that the Appellant's vehicle is
       seen parked at the very edge of what might be the 5 suspended
       spaces, then this leads me to the conclude there is some
       ambiguity as to
       whether there is an actual contravention. For these reasons I
       therefore allow the appeal.
       #Post#: 7876--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Do I Stand a Chance at Tribunal?
   DIR By: John U.K.
       Date: October 20, 2023, 10:22 am
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       --- Quote ---
       > I had a very similar situation a few years ago and won on
       appeal at London tribunal.
       --- End Quote ---
       If your case supports the OP it would be helpful for him to have
       the case number so he can add it in support of his own case.
       #Post#: 7877--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Do I Stand a Chance at Tribunal?
   DIR By: iispartan
       Date: October 20, 2023, 10:23 am
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       Case Reference: 2210026624
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