To pay the parking fine

[Marie0]

I just popped out with my DS and parked on double yellow lines. I had left DS's blue badge in DH's car.

Came back and had a parking fine of £70. I called the council to explain we didn't have the blue badge with us and they were unsympathetic and said I have to pay :(

I guess it is my fault, I should have checked I had the BB in my car before we went. Do I have a leg to stand on or should I just pay it?

Thanks for advice

You'll have to just pay it I'm afraid. You have to be showing a valid blue parking badge at the time of the offence for you to have a leg to stand on. If it wasn't showing then unfortunately you were parked illegally.

If it was first offence I would appeal . If you've done it before then suck it up and pay

ok, thanks both, yes it was a first offence, but I think I'll just pay it and see it as an expensive lesson to have learnt! I'll make sure I have it with me next time

We appealed and they said no. So we then continued our appeal and they said okay.

I would appeal one more time stating what you've said to us and explain why in those circumstances you had to choose double yellows (no other spaces etc)

They may let you off if you send a second letter

Cookies, thanks, yes I guess £70 is worth appealing for, I'll chat with DH when he gets home and formulate a plan

Have a look in your guide. You CAN park on double yellow lines in the guide book with mine, I can't remember if you are allowed with the yellow line going up the kerb, or without. So check your guidebook and see, and then appeal x

Why didn't you move when you realised you didn't have the badge? You knew you shouldn't park there without a badge.

Thanks binky, yes I can park on double yellow lines (with a badge) but unfortunately I didn't have the BB with me so therefore got the ticket. I can appeal, but got told even with proof of the BB, I cannot prove I had DS with me at the time, so therefore I don't really have a case.

We did this. (Well, DW forgot to put the BB up). Went for coffee, got back ticketed.

We inquired and got a very short "no exceptions" reply, so it had to be paid.

On the plus side ...

1. It was reassuring to know that they do police parking quite aggressively (we've since noticed there's a warden walking past every 20 minutes)

2. They have a zero-tolerance attitude to parking abuses (we've since noticed the warden ticketing vans and non-BB cars parked in marked BB bays).

"They" being Birmingham City Council.

Ah, that's it then. You'd have to pay. My son is also a B.B. holder, but our badge never leaves the car x

Definitely appeal. My Dad had his badge fall off his dashboard. He wrote apologising and they cancelled the fine.