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Parking enforcement

Last updated 7 December 2012

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The Council has the authority to manage the enforcement of both on street and off street public parking regulations (meters, residential parking bays, yellow lines etc.) Vehicles found to be parked illegally will be issued a penalty charge notice and in the case of persistent evaders, may be clamped and/or impounded.

The Council also provides a number of enforcement services to residents, businesses and other members of the public. As well as accepting general requests for enforcement the Council provides enforcement services such as parking suspensions and dispensations which are in most cases issued to accommodate highways  maintenance, engineering works or domestic removals. 

Please see this page to find out about how to deal with your penalty charge notice, the appeals process and other local enforcement services.

Pay your Penalty Charge Notice

Use this option if you want to pay your penalty charge notice quickly and securely online.

You can also call the automated payment line on 0845 331 2392 select option 2 and pay with either debit or credit card. For convenience a majority of people choose to pay by either of these two options as they are both quick, secure and available 24hrs a day.

If you wish to pay your penalty by cheque or postal order, please make it payable to LBWF and send it to:

LBWF Parking Services, PO Box 9319, London E17 7RX

Appeal against a Penalty Charge Notice (Informal)

You can make an informal challenge at any time within the first 28 days after the Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) has been issued.

We advise you to make a challenge within the 14 day discount payment period. This means that if your challenge is rejected, you will still be able to pay the PCN at the 50% discounted rate. If your challenge is successful, the PCN will be cancelled and no further action will be taken.

NOTE: You do not need to pay the charge at the time of making an informal challenge.

If you want to appeal against a Penalty Charge Notice, online forms are available to enable you to do this. Please complete our online challenge form ensuring that you submit the PCN number, Vehicle Registration Number (VRM) and your full address. We will respond to you in writing by post.

See Informal Challenge to a Penalty Charge Notice (pre-notice to owner)

Otherwise you may appeal by writing to:

Waltham Forest Parking Services
PO Box 54410
LONDON E10 7YS

Grounds for making an appeal against a Penalty Charge Notice

If you believe that the Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) has been issued to you in error or incorrectly, you should challenge it.

You can only make representations on the following grounds:

  • The contravention did not occur – The contravention (offence) described in the Penalty Charge Notice (PCN/ticket) did not happen – for instance the PCN is for parking on a yellow line when you were in fact legally loading. When returning this form you should enclose any relevant details (e.g. delivery note)
  • The penalty exceeded the relevant amount – The PCN asked you to pay more than you are legally liable to
  • The traffic order was invalid – You believe the parking restriction in question was invalid or illegal. This applied, for instance, if the Council has not followed the correct procedure for passing the traffic order. When returning this form you should enclose any relevant details
  • The Civil Enforcement Officer was not prevented from issuing the PCN – You disagree that the Civil Enforcement Officer was prevented from issuing the PCN
  • I was not the owner/keeper of the vehicle at the time of the contravention – You did not own the vehicle when the PCN was issued. When returning the form please enclose details – such as a receipt of sale/purchase or a copy of the DVLA registration form. You must give the name and address of the person who bough/sold the vehicle and the date of sale/purchase
  • The vehicle was taken without my consent – The vehicle had been stolen when the PCN was issued. When returning the form you should enclose evidence such as a police crime report number or insurance claim
  • We are a hire firm and have supplied the name of the hirer – You are a hire company and the hirer has signed a formal agreement accepting liability for the PCN. You must enclose the name and address of the hirer and a copy of the statement they signed
  • The Notice to Owner was served out of time – You feel that there has been an unreasonable delay (or at least 6 months) in issuing the Notice to Owner

Mitigating circumstances

Although there are specific legal grounds for making representations, we will consider exercising our discretion and may cancel the penalty charge notice if there are suitable mitigating circumstances (i.e. if we believe that there is a good enough reason). Please include any available supporting evidence.

By law, all challenges to Penalty Charge Notices must be made in writing, which can be by email using our online form, or by sending a letter in the post.

What happens next?

You will receive a response to your challenge advising you of the outcome. If your challenge is accepted, you do not need to pay anything and the case will be closed. However, if it is rejected, you will be given an opportunity to pay the PCN within 14 days of the date of the response or, if you remain dissatisfied with the decision, the next stage of the challenge process is to make a formal representation.

Challenging a Notice to Owner (formal)

If you choose not to pay or challenge your Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) within the first 28 days after it has been issued then the Council will send a 'Notice to Owner' (NtO) to the registered keeper of the vehicle. This notice will advise that there is a further 28 days to either:

  • Pay the full penalty charge (at the full rate); or
  • Make a formal written representation to the Council
    • If you have received your NtO and wish to make payment at the full rate, the payment can be made either online, see PCN payment , over the telephone by calling 0845 331 2392 select option 2 or in person by visiting the Parking Shop at The Alpha Business Centre, South Grove, Walthamstow E17 7NX (opening times: Mon-Fri 7am– 7pm, Sat 9am-1pm - closed bank and public holidays).

Otherwise:

If you have received your NtO and still wish to challenge the penalty you can do so using the following methods.

Online

You can now submit your representation online see below:

Please complete our online challenge form ensuring that you submit the PCN number, Vehicle Registration Number (VRM) and your full address. We will respond to you in writing by post.

By post

Alternatively, you can make a challenge in writing to the address below. Please allow sufficient time for us to receive and consider your representation.

Waltham Forest Parking Services, PO Box 54410, London, E10 7AS

Grounds for making a representation against a Notice to Owner

  1. (a) You have never owned the vehicle.
    (b) You were no longer the owner on the date the contravention occurred. You will have to provide the name and address of the person to whom the vehicle was sold together with proof of the date of the sale.
    (c) You were not the owner until after that date. You will have to provide the name and address of the person from whom you purchased the vehicle together with proof of the purchase date
  2. The contravention (wrong doing) did not occur
  3. The contravention occurred whilst the vehicle was under the control of someone without the owner's consent. You will have to supply the crime reference number and the name of the Police Station to which the theft of the vehicle was reported
  4. The Traffic Order was invalid i.e. the Council did not comply with the statutory requirements when making the Order
  5. The vehicle is owned by a vehicle-hire firm and the vehicle was on hire to someone under a formal hiring agreement. You will have to supply a copy of the hire agreement clearly showing the name and address of the person hiring the vehicle. This agreement must contain a statement of liability signed by the hirer and acknowledging the hirer's liability for payment of penalty charges
  6. The penalty charge exceeded the amount applicable to the contravention i.e. the amount is more than you are legally liable to pay
  7. There has been a procedural impropriety on the part of the Council
  8. The penalty charge notice has already been paid in full or has been paid at the reduced amount within the specified period

What happens next?

On receipt of the representation, the Council will carefully consider all the relevant facts. Information relating to the contravention held on the computer records and in the Civil Enforcement Officer's notes may also be taken into account.

If your representation is accepted, you will be notified that the Penalty Charge Notice has been cancelled and the case closed.

If your representation is rejected, you will be sent a formal 'Notice of Rejection' together with an appeal form. You should now either pay the penalty charge notice at the full rate or make an appeal to an independent adjudicator at the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service (PATAS). The Adjudicator is restricted by law to considering appeals only on the eight grounds listed (refer to Representations). For legal reasons, it is not possible to appeal to a Parking Adjudicator unless the owner of the vehicle first makes a formal representation to the Council. The decision of the Adjudicator is binding on both the Council and the person making the appeal.

Appeals can be decided either in person or by post, depending on your preference. Appeals in person are arranged by PATAS.

Filing witness statements or Statutory Declarations

If you have received an Order for Recovery of Unpaid Penalty Charge, this means that the penalty has not been resolved by representation, appeal or payment, and has been registered as a debt with The Traffic Enforcement Centre at Northampton County Court and is due to be passed to a Bailiff. Please follow the instructions on the order; you have 21 days from the date of the order to submit your application to the court. To do so, fill out the document supplied with the Order for Recovery and return it to the address on the form and not to the Council.


Once received by the court, they will then inform the Council to place the case on hold.

The order advises that you must either; pay the total amount shown on the form or file a witness statement if you believe you have grounds for not paying the charge. There are only four limited grounds on which a statement can be made and details will be included with the Order for Recovery. Proceedings for contempt of court may be brought against the Respondent if they make or cause to be made any false statement of truth without an honest belief in its truth.

Should you wish to make inquiries with The Traffic Enforcement Centre, please call them on: 08457 045007.

Unpaid Penalty Charge Notices Progression Summary

What happens if you ignore a PCN? Failure to pay your Penalty Charge Notice will result in action taken under the relevant legislation to recover the penalty charge, so what action will be taken?

After 14 days

You lose the right to pay at the discounted sum after 14 days starting with the date on which the Penalty Charge notice was issued.

After a further 14 days

A Notice to Owner or Enforcement Notice will be issued to the registered keeper (as held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency - DVLA). Failure to act on this will result in a Charge Certificate.

After a further 28 days

A Charge Certificate will be sent to you notifying you that the charge has increased by 50%.

After a further 14 days

Your debt will be registered at Northampton County Court and a registration fee of £7 will be added to your charge.

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General information: Penalty Charge Notices

A Penalty Charge Notice is a legal document issued either directly to the vehicle / driver or through the post notifying you that your vehicle has been observed contravening a parking restriction or traffic restriction (e.g. being in a Bus Lane, making a banned turn etc.)

» View the full list of contraventions (45KB PDF file)

PCN charges

At the request of London Councils (formerly the Association for London Government), the Mayor of London and the Secretary of State for Transport have agreed the introduction of a tiered system for Penalty Charge Notices plus other charges as detailed below. These changes took place on the 1 July 2007. The Council did not have any choice in this as it is compulsory.

Following the introduction of differential penalties the Council through the formal process of applying to London Council, the Mayor for London and the Secretary of State for Transport introduced a higher banding of penalties to all roads in the borough south of the North Circular Road. This change was introduced in the busiest part of the borough to act as a further deterrent to motorists and means that there are four levels for Penalty Charge Notices issued in relation to parking violations two in the north and two in the south of the borough. The penalty charges issued within the London Borough of Waltham Forest are currently:

For penalty charge notices issued at the higher rate

  • North of the borough - £110 reduced to £55 if paid within the appropriate discount period from the date the Penalty Charge Notice is issued
  • South of the borough - £130 reduced to £65 if paid within the appropriate discount period from the date the Penalty Charge Notice is issued

For penalty charge notices issued at the lower rate

  • North of the borough - £60 reduced to £30 if paid within the appropriate discount period from the date the Penalty Charge Notice is issued
  • South of the borough - £80 reduced to £40 if paid within the appropriate discount period from the date the Penalty Charge Notice is issued

For penalties issued for bus lane violations and moving traffic contraventions

£130 reduced to £65 if paid within the appropriate discount period from the date the Penalty Charge Notice is issued

Other additional parking charges

  • £70 to release from clamp (plus payment of the penalty charge)
  • £200 to release from pound (plus payment of the penalty charge)
  • £40 storage (per day) (plus payment of the penalty charge)
  • £70 disposal from the pound

CCTV enforcement

Moving Traffic Contravention (MTC) Enforcement locations

Higher level penalty charge parking contraventions

Code of Practice

The CCTV enforcement vehicles are responsible for recording moving traffic violations, such as stopping in box junctions, driving in bus lanes and making banned turns. They are also used for parking enforcement purposes like footway parking, yellow lines and outside schools on the 'keep clear' markings, this is to ensure the safety of children.

There is an exemption for the CCTV Enforcement vehicles to park on yellow lines through the Traffic Management Orders that are written by Highway Authorities when introducing restrictions.

The CCTV cars are considered an excepted vehicle:

9. The restrictions imposed by Part II of this Order shall not apply in relation to the following vehicles, that is to say:

(c) vehicles when used in the service of a local authority in pursuance of statutory powers or duties provided that in all the circumstances it is reasonably necessary in the exercise of such powers in the performance of such duties for the vehicle to wait in the place in which it is waiting;

Although parking and traffic enforcement is a statutory duty of the Council the above does not give the CCTV operators "carte blanche" as to where they can park, as a Police Officer can act if he/she believes a vehicle is dangerously or obstructively parked. There is no legal definition for either of these it is down to the discretion of an individual Police Officer.

Moving Traffic Contraventions

The enforcement of Moving Traffic Contraventions is carried out using CCTV; with the illegal acts being observed in real time by Civil Enforcement Officers. Once the contravention has been captured a penalty charge notice is created and the registered keeper will then receive a £130 Penalty Charge Notice (correct at the time of printing). There is a 50% discount to £65 if the penalty is promptly paid.

Waltham Forest not only use CCTV cameras permanently sited on roadside columns but we also use Smart cars fitted with CCTV technology and a purpose built CCTV Van. So no matter where a motorist is they will be at risk of being recorded and receiving a penalty charge notice.

Penalty Charge Notices for these contraventions are similar to those for parking violation and breaches in Bus Lane regulations in that it is, in the majority of cases, the registered keeper who is liable for the penalty charge notice – not necessarily the driver unless the keeper is driving when the contravention is captured.

Waltham Forest are making positive moves in improving safety on the boroughs roads, statistics show that we are reducing the number of casualties each year through education and traffic management. The enforcement of moving traffic violations is seen as a further tool to help maintain the positive steps already made.

Anyone wishing to report repeated contraventions in their road or area can do so either on-line or by phone on 0845 331 2392 (select option 5).

View CCTV footage relating to your PCN

During the month of February 2012, CCTV evidence viewing had been transferred to a dedicated web service that allows access to both images and video footage relating to an alleged contravention. This service is now available for use 24 hours daily.

Please note: This service will not be available for any PCNs that were issued before February 2012 and may not apply to all PCNs that were issued throughout the month of February 2012. However all alleged contravention evidence that was captured from 1st March 2012 will be available for viewing on the web service.

If your PCN was issued in February 2012 you are welcome to check to see if your evidence was transferred to the web.

To view the CCTV footage of your alleged contravention online please see: http://viewmypcn.co.uk/WalthamForest/

If your contravention footage is not available online you will have to contact the Parking Shop to view parking / traffic enforcement camera images relating to an alleged contravention. Please phone 0845 331 2392 and note that 24 hour notice is required for an appointment to be made.


If you (or another person nominated by you) wish to view a recording then that must take place at:


The Parking Shop
Units 9-10
Alpha Business Centre
60 South Grove
Walthamstow
London
E17 7NX

Appointment are between 9am-4pm Monday-Friday.
Before viewing the evidence, you must have with you the following documentation:

  1. 1. Vehicle registration document
  2. One proof of ID, e.g. driving licence or passport
  3. One proof of address e.g. current utility bill

Bailiff enforcement

At this stage your Penalty Charge Notice is unpaid and a warrant of execution has now been authorised by The Traffic Enforcement Centre at Northampton County Court and passed to a bailiff for collection.

Waltham Forest Parking Services currently use the following bailiff companies, if you wish to query any enforcement action you can contact them on (please make sure this is the bailiff enforcing your warrant of execution):

JBW Group

Address PO BOX 50218, London, EC2A 3NN
Tel 0844 576 3620
Fax 0844 576 3621
Email queries@jbwgroup.co.uk

Newlyn PLC

Address PO BOX 933, Northampton, NN1 9DX
Tel 01604 633 001
Fax 01604 621096
Email enquiries@newlynplc.co.uk

Task Enforcement

Address PO BOX 66480, London, E17 0PB
Tel 0845 6800 581
Fax 020 8527 2315
Email customerservices@taskenforcement.co.uk

Equita

Address 42-44 Henry Street, Northampton, NN1 4BZ
Tel 01604 250 116
Fax 01604 663 489
Email info@equita.co.uk

Should you wish to make inquiries with The Traffic Enforcement Centre, please call them on: 08457 045007.

Clamping and removals

If you have an outstanding PCN that has gone to warrant stage and your vehicle has been clamped and removed by one of our bailiffs, please see Bailiff Enforcement section for contact details.

If you do not have an outstanding PCN that has gone to warrant stage and your vehicle has been impounded please contact our car pound using the following details:

0845 331 2392 and select Option 1 Mon-Sat 7am-12am, Sun 8am-8pm;

Out of hours release: 0845 331 2392 and select Option 1

Or visit/write to: Stonehill Industrial Park
Harbet Road
Edmonton N18 3HQ

If your vehicle as been removed as an abandoned vehicle, enquiries should be made in writing to:

Waltham Forest - Abandoned Vehicles
Sycamore
House
Town Hall Complex
Forest Road
Walthamstow E17 4JS

Tel 020 8496 3000
Email wfdirect@walthamforest.gov.uk

You can report an abandoned/untaxed vehicle online or contact Waltham
Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000

Local enforcement services

The Council offers a range of enforcement services to its residents and other members of the public. Services range from implementing parking restrictions, installing new control parking zones, parking dispensations, parking suspensions along side other bespoke services. If you can not find the solution to your parking problem please contact Waltham Forest Parking Services with your queries or requests using the contact details provided.

Request a CPZ in your area

Residents have the right to apply for the council to install a new controlled parking zone in your area. Applications will be subject to an assessment and consultation with residents located around the proximity. Requests should be made in writing to :

Waltham Forest - Traffic Section

Public Realm
Environment and Regeneration
Low Hall
Argall Avenue
London E10 7AS

Tel: 0208 496 3000
Fax: 0208 521 3577
Email: wfdirect@walthamforest.gov.uk

Parking suspensions and dispensations

A temporary parking restriction is sometimes required for activities such as road works, special deliveries and household removals.

A Parking Suspension is required to restrict parking in signed and marked parking bays In Controlled Parking Zones and other places where parking bays and yellow lines are marked on the street.

A Parking Dispensation is required to permit a vehicle to park at a restricted location (a yellow line or a parking bay) for a specified time period.

In places where there are no existing parking bays or yellow lines a Temporary Traffic Order may be required in order to restrict parking.

Leyton Orient match day parking

Although the football club is not situated within a controlled parking area, on match days parking restrictions are put in place in and around the surrounding area. Restrictions can be identified by the signage on the restricted streets.

The times that parking will be restricted are as follows:

  • Saturdays or Sundays 11am-6pm
  • Mondays to Fridays 6pm-10:30pm
  • On any weekday that falls on a Bank Holiday 11am-6pm

Provided these times and days coincide with a match day.

Details of fixtures can be viewed on the Leyton Orient website.

Enforcement of the match day restrictions by the issue of Penalty notices and vehicle removals will take place at all Leyton Orient home fixtures.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

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