Thanks RT for your reply.

Their is no signage either on the road surface or on their main meter signage describing this 'so called' infringement. I could understand if I parked laterally across another bay but I didn't.

The car inquestion is a hatch back so not overlarge but as it was parked very close to the hairpin apex I wanted to ensure it didn't get damaged by other vehicles.

I maintain that this is purely for revenue and no logic can apply as further down the row (less that 4 vehicles the lining is totally absent.

Can you post up the link to the photo on the council website ?

You need to find a copy of the rules/order governing the particular car park. However parking outside marked bays is ppretty much a universal infringement. It doesn't matter whether you can see the rationale for hatchings etc. If you're outside the bays then the infringment has probably occurred.

The permissible grounds of appeal are here:

www.trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk/grounds-of-appea.../

As Rob says a link to the pictures or at least a view of the site would help.

It's also possible to appeal direct to the council - not the formal process maybe but I have appealled to the better nature over non-display of a Blue Badge, which I hold, and was let off - like this case technically an infringement but not using a space I wasn't entitled to

I had a similar problem in Newcastle. Some of the cars in other bays were badly positioned and this made the end bay virtuall unuseable within the lined area. However being on the end and next to a wall it caused no obstruction at all, so I parked there. To be on the safe side I photographed the offending vehicles and my own, just in case. This was the days before mobiles had cameras but I always carried a camera for use on site. Sure enough, when I returned there was a ticket. I appealed and they recinded the ticket. Not much else they could do really given the evidence. Where I live now the council are not so obliging, and I had to take them to a tribunal, which I won. The moral is of course, if you are slightly unsure but have parked safely, then take photos of the cars around you and your car and the signage. It may pay off later. Councils should take a more reasonable view when looking at percieved infringements of often quite petty rules. Rules are for the blind obedience of fools and for the guidance of the wise. Good luck with the appeal.

Very interesting comment from Rob about 'de minimis'. Fascinating what comes into play even with a subject as mundane as parking.

Cheers Concrete