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Should I pay a fine for not displaying my blue badge?
I have received a demand for £60.00 if paid within 14 days for parking in a (what I thought was a council owned) car park in a marked disabled driver bay. It would appear that I did not display my blue badge.
I am now threatened with a £100 fine if I do not pay and the debt immediately to be passed to debt recovery agency at which point additional charges will become due. My thought is: does this not have to go before Magistrates at Court (or a claim before a judge at the Small Claims Court) for a warrant to be issued so that it can be forwarded to debt recovery agents?
I have looked at photos on line and I can agree I did not show my badge but this is a big hammer to smash a nut surely! I have read previous comments on HJ which said parking in a car park and overstaying or not paying results in a fine which must be paid but blue badge infractions If there is the opportunity for court would I win or is it an open and shut case?
I am now threatened with a £100 fine if I do not pay and the debt immediately to be passed to debt recovery agency at which point additional charges will become due. My thought is: does this not have to go before Magistrates at Court (or a claim before a judge at the Small Claims Court) for a warrant to be issued so that it can be forwarded to debt recovery agents?
I have looked at photos on line and I can agree I did not show my badge but this is a big hammer to smash a nut surely! I have read previous comments on HJ which said parking in a car park and overstaying or not paying results in a fine which must be paid but blue badge infractions If there is the opportunity for court would I win or is it an open and shut case?
Asked on 14 June 2023 by Frederick Knott
Answered by
David Ross
We understand you will be disappointed to have received a parking ticket, but looking at it from the perspective of the parking officer, if there is no blue badge displayed then it would appear as if the required parking payment has not been made and so a ticket has been issued.
You have the right to appeal the ticket, but unless you can provide evidence as to why the ticket has been issue incorrectly it is unlikely to be successful. Similarly if the appeal fails you have the option to take it to a tribunal, but again unless you can provide evidence that the ticket was issued in error this is also likely to be unsuccessful.
If you were to take your case to court it would incur significant costs even if you were successful, so as unpleasant as it may be your best option may be to pay the fine within the 14 days and chalk this one up to experience.
You have the right to appeal the ticket, but unless you can provide evidence as to why the ticket has been issue incorrectly it is unlikely to be successful. Similarly if the appeal fails you have the option to take it to a tribunal, but again unless you can provide evidence that the ticket was issued in error this is also likely to be unsuccessful.
If you were to take your case to court it would incur significant costs even if you were successful, so as unpleasant as it may be your best option may be to pay the fine within the 14 days and chalk this one up to experience.
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