It depends on the exact bylaws in use at the location concerned : However, you MAY be allowed to stop 'for long enough to drop off or pick up passengers'. But how long is that ?

It all depends really. One person who myself and my wife regularly give a lift to seems to take a couple of minutes to get out of the car - I've in the past asked her to get a move on because traffic is waiting behind us, which she seems oblivious to as she starts to tell my wife something or other. If I'm being dropped off, I've got one hand on the seatbelt buckle, and the other hand on the door handle as the car comes to a stop. Ten seconds later, I'm gone.

All you can really do is wait for the ticket to come through. If you feel it is unreasonable, then appeal.

You may well have been correctly informed.

"£70.00 charge reduced to £35.00 if paid within 14 days, but if remaining unpaid increasing by 50% to £105.00 upon issue of a Charge Certificate..."

[from St Albans City & District Council Enforcement Policy, Stopped where prohibited (on a red route or clearway) - see Code 46]

Full details: tinyurl.com/ofntm6j (opens a pdf with stuff about St Albans parking/stopping contraventions)

Of course, it all depends on exactly how the road in question is officially designated.

Edited by FP on 19/07/2014 at 16:06