How Can I Challenge An Acton PCN?
This blog serves to answer the question “How Can I Challenge An Acton PCN?” You need to collect evidence on a daily basis which you can eventually end up using with your Acton PCN challenge. The text of your PCN appeal needs to clearly prove that the traffic violation didn’t happen and go ahead to display (by using evidence) how you can show this to be true.
How Can I Challenge An Acton PCN?
You can challenge an Acton PCN by filling out the online formal representation form on the Ealing Council website or by writing a formal representation to the Ealing Council on the reverse of your “Notice to Owner ” document.
You must have a valid explanation of the events of the traffic violation scene with you before writing down your PCN challenge as this information is essential to be able to contest the case put forward by the Ealing Council. This means that you should be able to describe each and every movement your vehicle made at the traffic violation scene with respect to abiding by the contravention code on your PCN.
You will present your case as the authentic version of events by supporting it with as much evidence as possible. This evidence will be in the form of photographs or a video clip of the events as they happened according to your point of view. The video can begin from before you approach the location of the traffic violation and end where you are given the PCN.
If you choose to attach photographs instead, they need to first be edited out of the video clip first by using a video player (such as VLC player) or video editing software. After taking out enough photos to clearly show that the traffic violation didn’t occur, you can arrange them according to the timestamp on the video.
In order to upload the photographs with your online form, you will need to simply attach them on the webpage where you have the option of doing so. If you would instead like to send in your PCN challenge by mail, you will need to print out the photographs and send them with your Notice to Owner Document as attachments.
In many cases, PCNs are not enforceable and you may be able to win your case and avoid having to pay your fine.
You could begin the process by speaking to an online solicitor for as little as £5.
What is a Penalty Charge Notice?
A Penalty Charge Notice is a fine or monetary penalty for driving offences. A PCN can be issued for any legal traffic contravention, such as a parking contravention, moving traffic contravention or bus lane violation.
The charges of your PCN will also vary depending on whether it has been issued for a higher level violation or for a lower level violation. A PCN may also be served for refusing to pay road charges.
A PCN may be issued by a Civil Enforcement Officer or by CCTV. You will be given 28 days to respond to a Penalty Charge Notice.
If you fail to pay the fine or appeal it, you will be sent a charge certificate which increases the PCN fine by 50% of its original value.
What is the procedure for appealing against an Acton PCN?
You can submit a formal representation to your Acton PCN by writing a letter addressed to the Ealing Council or by filling in the online formal representation form on the Ealing council’s official website.
You need to brainstorm reasons for challenging an Acton PCN from the day of the incident and list them down in word processing software or on paper. It is essential to have some authentic evidence to attach with your PCN appeal in the form of video footage of the traffic violation, medical certificates explaining your mitigating circumstances, or pay and display tickets.
The evidence must be matched with the grounds for your appeal before describing the incident from your point of view. Your rough formal representation can be edited for clarity multiple times before it is ready to attach to your online appeal to the Ealing Council. You need to visit the Ealing Council website to submit a formal representation to your Acton PCN. You have to open this webpage to enter your PCN number and your Vehicle Registration Number. You need to click on “Search” to view your PCN details before filling in the online appeals form.This payments and appeals service has the same account so you must be careful not to click on the PCN payment option after you log in.
It is essential to upload authentic evidence material with your PCN challenge to describe your mitigating circumstances to the Ealing Council and for explaining your point of view of the events which took place at the traffic violation scene. If you made a video clip of your traffic contravention, you should save snapshots from it by using a video player or video editing software.
Most video players such as VLC player allow you to slow down your video frame by frame and thus take ( a collection of) snapshots to attach with your Acton PCN challenge.The text of your appeal must state the relevant contravention code on your PCN and explain how you attempted to avoid the error (supported by photos or video footage).
Once you have proofread your appeal to eliminate any reasons for your challenge which might convey a disregard for traffic contravention codes enforced in the Ealing Council (by mixing up the contraventions) or reasons which involve forgetfulness to justify your actions, you can submit the formal representation.
Another way to send in your Acton PCN challenge is by mail. You can write a formal representation to the Ealing Council on the reverse of your “Notice to Owner” document. This handwritten appeal should be composed gradually by incorporating all the available evidence material to support the grounds for your challenge and should be able to convince the council of your mitigating circumstances (or other acceptable reasons).
Your letter should mention your PCN number, date of issue of the PCN, your vehicle registration number, and personal details.
Evidence to support your formal representation can be attached to the form using a stapler or paper clip. Your PCN appeals form and all accompanying evidence documents (enclosed in an envelope) need to be sent to:
Ealing Council,
Parking services,
PO Box 46264,
Ealing W5 2UN
How Can I Pay my Acton PCN fine?
You can pay your Acton PCN on the Ealing Council’s online payments webpage, by sending a check or postal order to the Ealing Council or by calling on the Ealing Council’s automated payments hotline.
If you prefer to make your PCN fine payment online, you can visit the Ealing Council website. After opening this webpage you need to enter your PCN number and vehicle registration number. Once all these details have been correctly entered, you can click on “Continue” to access your Acton PCN account.. Your PCN details will be displayed and you can also view CCTV evidence relating to your case before paying your PCN
For paying your PCN you will be asked for your payment card details. The Ealing Council accepts Mastercard, Visa Card, Maestro Card and Visa Electron card for PCN fine payments. Diners card and American Express card are not accepted for making PCN payments. Once you have entered the credit or debit card information you can proceed to paying your fine. It must be noted that paying your Acton PCN eliminates any possibility for challenging the Penalty Charge Notice.
Your Acton PCN can also be paid by calling on the Ealing Council’s telephone payments service. You have to dial 020 8825 6565 and enter your PCN number by using a * sign for the letters in the code. After this you will have to enter your payment card details. This automated payments service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You should wait to receive a confirmation code before ending your call.
The Ealing Council also accepts PCN fine payments by post. You need to send a check, postal order, or bank draft payable to “Ealing Council”. You can write down your PCN Number and Vehicle Registration Number on the back of your check or postal order. The Ealing Council does not accept post dated checks.
Send your PCN fine payment to this address:
Ealing Council,
Parking Services,
PO Box 46264,
Ealing W5 2UN
How much is the PCN fine for each of the 3 kinds of PCNs served in the Acton Town Council?
The 3 kinds of PCNs served in the Acton Town Council are Parking PCNs, Bus Lane PCNs and Moving Traffic PCNs.
The Penalty Charge Notice fine for an Acton Parking PCN is set at £110 for a higher level traffic violation and £80 for a lower level traffic violation. A 50% discount applies to early payment so If you pay your higher level parking PCN within 14 days, you just have to pay £55. Similarly, if you pay your lower level parking PCN within 14 days, you just have to pay just £40.
If you pay a Bus Lane PCN within 28 days, you will be charged £130 and if you pay it within 21 days, you just have to pay £75. The PCN fine for a moving traffic PCN in Acton Town is £130. There is a 50% discount for paying it within 14 days, which reduces the fine to £75.
What will happen if I don’t pay my Acton PCN within the 28-day limit?
If you fail to pay your Acton PCN within the 28-day limit you will be sent a charge certificate from Transport for London. The charge certificate increases your PCN fine by 50%. You should pay the charge certificate within 14 days as it cannot be appealed and ignoring the charge certificate may result in the filing of a court order (for recovery of debts) against you by Transport for London.
When the charge certificate is also not paid within 14 days, you will receive a “Notice of Debt Registration” and a witness certificate from Transport for London. The unpaid amount will be treated as a debt with the Traffic Enforcement Centre at the Northampton County Court.
The court order for debt recovery enforces that the charge certificate amount must be paid in full within 21 days or it will have to use additional powers to recover the money from your possession.
Can I dispute an Acton PCN with the London Tribunals if the Ealing council dismisses my appeal?
Yes, you can dispute an Acton PCN with the Traffic Adjudicators at London Tribunals within 28 days of getting your “Notice of Rejection of Representations” from the Ealing council. You have to fill in the form provided to you with the Notice of Rejection and mail it to this postal address:
London Tribunals,
PO Box 10598,
Nottingham,
NG6 6DR
You can also choose to dispute the “Notice of Rejection” from your council with the London Tribunals online by clicking on the “Access the Appellants Portal” button on this webpage. All you will be required to do is simply enter your Vehicle Registration Number, PCN number, and the reference number or code from your “Notice of Rejection of Representations” letter.
You can attach copies of evidence documents online to back up your appeal against the decision of the Ealing Council. Such evidence may also include a signed and dated written statement describing what happened on the scene according to the viewpoint of a bystander.
London Tribunals will notify both you and Ealing Council of the hearing date. If the Ealing Council contests your appeal, it will provide you with a copy of its application along with the evidence sent by it to the Traffic Adjudicators at London Tribunals. In case the independent parking and traffic adjudicator decides the case in your favour, the Ealing Council will promptly withdraw the PCN.
If the PCN is cancelled at this stage, you will have to pay nothing. If the London Tribunals decide the case in the council’s favour, you will be given another 28 days to pay the PCN fine.
Conclusion
This blog post addressed the question “How Can I Challenge An Acton PCN?” You must be aware of the contravention codes enforced at different car parks, bus lanes, road turns and intersections across Ealing Council so that you know how to approach your PCN challenge. The wording of your PCN challenge is required to be formal and to display a strong knowledge of the contravention that you have allegedly breached.