Disgruntled driver slams 'daft' Hounslow council after case of mistaken car identity

A resident is furious after Hounslow council refused to cancel a parking fine despite an adjudicator’s recommendation following an innocent error.

Jon Marshall of Grove Park in Chiswick who owns two cars was surprised when he received a penalty charge notice (PCN) for a parking spot he had paid for on his mobile phone.

However, on closer inspection, he realised he had unknowingly paid for the wrong vehicle, that of his regularly-used car at home, instead of the Mazda he had taken out.

He wrote to the council and explained he had made an honest mistake but had paid to park his car and therefore believed the fine should be lifted. The council disagreed.

Branding Hounslow council’s parking regulations as a 'revenue-raiser', Mr Marshall said: “I wrote to the council and said this is daft.

"I paid for the parking but had put the wrong registration in.

“You can’t blame the traffic warden who was simply doing his job, and I initially thought someone of limited intelligence at the council didn’t adopt a common sense approach to cancelling the ticket.

“But when I received the reply from the council after the adjudicator had recommended the ticket be cancelled, I was initially furious at its arrogance.”

Mr Marshall appealed the council’s decision "out of principal", and the environment and traffic adjudicators who heard the evidence recommended Hounslow council cancel the PCN.

Following a hearing, the adjudicator wrote in a letter: “In light of the fact that the appellant clearly did pay for a vehicle which he owns and made an innocent error in paying for the wrong vehicle, it is my recommendation that the local authority reconsider the exercise of their discretion and either reduce or waive the penalty on this occasion.”

'Most users understand process'

However, Councillor Richard Foote, cabinet member for community protection at Hounslow Council, said: “The motorist was issued with the PCN [Penalty Charge Notice] because they entered the incorrect car registration number when using RingGo – the cashless parking payment system.

“The independent adjudicator recommended that the charge be reduced or cancelled.

“This recommendation was not accepted by the council as we believe that the process of making payment is clear and straightforward, with the user being asked to enter and then confirm all relevant details of the required parking.

“Most users of Ringo, understand and successfully complete the parking payment process.”