NPM parking - legally can we ignore this?

[DryFebEmma]

Hello,

Had a letter through the post from
NPM parking saying I am liable for a £100 charge as I was on double yellows for 3 minutes on a Sunday morning at 6.59am. The reason I was on double yellows is that I was going to work (nurse) and my 2 year old was having a meltdown on the way to nanny's. I stopped to calm him.

Do I have to pay the £100 for this? 🤦🏻‍♀️

Any advice appreciated. Thank you.

I think the advice nowadays is not to ignore it or it just makes it worse.

I doubt any of that would be an acceptable excuse for stopping on double yellows tbh.

You parked on double yellow lines and you were caught doing so. Yes you need to pay, none of what you've written would be a reasonable reason to park illegally.

Apparently can appeal if you've violated the parking by 5-10 mins.
I was there 4 mins so will appeal and update. Thank you all

*3 mins. Typo

The parking charge notice confirms I was there 3 mins

You've got no chance on double yellows.

Double yellows mean no parking at all.

I'm pretty sure that only applies in car parks where you pay for X amount of time and go over by a short amount, not to double yellows where you shouldn't be parking at all.

That doesn't apply to double yellow lines though? You can't park on them at all. The grace period is surely for car parks?

It wasn't a main road, it was a little blocked of side street next to a mcds. There was zero chance of anyone coming to any harm. It's a money making thing - I'll contest it

It doesn't matter what road it was or if you think no one would come to harm. The road has double yellow lines so you can't park on it. It's not a money making thing it's the law.

Sorry OP that won't make any difference. It's illegal to park or wait on double yellow lines at anytime.

Thanks everyone.

No harm in trying to contest it as it was only 3 mins. But prob not likely. I'll update on outcome. Thank you

I think you were checking his car seat OP? For his safety?

It is wrong to park on a double yellow line, so appeal by acknowledging your wrong doing, saying sorry and hope to find their better nature.

Just don't say you weren't doing anything wrong / it doesn't matter because it's by McDonald's/it's a money making scheme.

@Citrusandginger
Thank you. It was indeed a genuine reason. Cameras will see I got out of the car, opened the back door, hugged the child and put him back in. Then drive off.

I didn't mean to do wrong - I panicked and pulled into the nearest side street for 3 mins. Thanks again.

This is a parking charge notice which is an important distinction from a parking ticket for illegally parking on a public road.

It could well be that the 'road' you stopped on was private land.

It could be worth appealing, have a look at

https://www.popla.co.uk/appeal-guide

If I remember rightly, double yellows don't actually mean no stopping. It's got conditions.

Appeal it, if for no other reason than to give you extra time to pay.

I've had young children crying in the car and pulled over - from what you describe you haven't held anyone up etc.

Appeal it, if for no other reason than to give you extra time to pay.

I would do the opposite - pay then appeal, as normally it's cheaper to pay within the first 30 days and appeals can take much longer (and obviously be unsuccessful, leaving you with an even bigger bill).

What's NPM when it's at home?
Are these public road cameras or private moneymakers?

NPM = Nonsense Pound Making (scheme).

People say that and always think they’re the exception to the rule but the lines are there for a reason, not ‘a money making exercise’. Challenge it if you want but don’t think that it makes it ok for you to park there.

We had to pull into a bus lane this week, thankfully not monitored as our youngest started to be sick. We had no option. Sometimes rules are not always able to be followed and some situations require a few minutes of stopping to sort out.

Double yellows can be stopped and parked on by some road users too ie blue badge holders unless they have the pavement marking or it's dangerous ie on a junction.

I think this sounds very confused. Double yellows are on public roads so it should have been a parking ticket not a PCN? If you've been given a PCN for parking on double yellows I'd definitely look into whether this is enforceable. There are certain things you should do and not do when.challenging a PCN (eg don't confirm who was driving) so proceed carefully.

I'd have a look in these two places and get some advice:

• https://www.ftla.uk/private-parking-tickets/?PHPSESSID=sunlh73eb3ulffjmhjlqmbjc51

forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/parking-tickets-fines-parking

I've successfully challenged the last three parking tickets we were given using advice from above.

Ithink it’s double red lines that mean no stopping. Sometimes you get signage that says no waiting where there are double yellow lines. Blue badge holders can park on double yellow lines depending on if there are loading markings. It would be worth checking the Highway Code because if they’re using double yellow lines even on private land I would presume the same rules apply as in the Highway Code,
You have my sympathy, I think it’s only luck I’ve avoided similar the number of times I’ve had to stop for children for a few minutes

Don't pay and then try to appeal. They almost certainly will take you paying as an admission and then refuse an appeal. Appeal first. Most of these parking firms will "suspend" the ticket during the appeal bit and let you still pay the lower amount if the appeal fails. Look at the moneysaving expert or popla sites as linked by pp for advice

NPM is a private car park management firm, so presumably this was private land and normal Highway Code yellow lines rules don’t apply.

They can try what they like, but you can appeal. I have done so in our works car park. I parked partly on a double yellow line but I was not obstructing anything and I had paid to be in the car park. They cancelled it. The Pepipoo forum (combative, but knowledgeable) and Moneysavingexpert forum can advise you further.