There’s nothing worse than returning to your vehicle to find you’ve been given a parking ticket, especially when you were not expecting it. There are also different types of fines and tickets that various authorities can issue, and you might not be aware of all of them.
We’ve compiled a list of some of the main situations that can warrant a parking ticket and some tips on how you can avoid them in general. We’ve also got a suggestion for how you can park cheaper QuoteRadar, so check out these Cheap Airport Parking discounts and you can save money by leaving your car in a safe and secure car park.
Who can issue parking tickets in the UK?
- One of the most common types is a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) which is usually issued by traffic wardens employed by the police. They also deal with more serious kinds of parking violations and other motoring offences such as speeding.
- The second type is known as a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) and these are issued by council-employed parking attendants.
- Other types of tickets can also be issued for parking on privately owned property and appeals for these tickets are dealt with by the Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA) for car parks regulated by the British Parking Association (BPA) and the Approved Operator Scheme (AOS).
Tips on how to avoid getting a parking ticket:
- Check parking signs carefully – before leaving your vehicle anywhere it’s a good idea to make sure you read and understand any road signs in the nearby area. There are road markings for permit holders and pay and display parking bays that will confirm if you are allowed to park or not and whether you need to make a payment at a ticket machine.
- Air on the side of caution with ticket machine payments – even if you’re pretty sure how long you plan to leave your car parked, it’s always best to pay a little bit more so that you’re covered in case of any delays or unexpected events that might mean you don’t get back quite in time and remember to display your ticket so that it’s easily visible.
- Stay within the lines – all parking bays should have marked lines and you must park carefully and make sure you’re vehicle is inside the designated area. Even if you’re in a hurry, it’s well worth taking the time to make sure you park properly.
- Pay attention to more complicated signs – sometimes parking areas will have specific restrictions for certain days and times so read them carefully to make sure you’re aware of these special conditions.
- Parking on double yellow lines is permitted – as long as you don’t leave your car unattended. This means that you can stop here briefly, for example, if you need to pick someone up or drop them off, just make sure you don’t wait too long.
- Bus stops – Unlike the double yellow lines, it is not permitted to stop at a bus stop for any reason, so it’s better to avoid stopping them altogether. If you are picking someone up or dropping them off to catch a bus, find a safe place to stop nearby.
- Be aware of cameras – even if you don’t see a traffic warden in the area, you can still get a ticket if you’re caught on camera so bear this in mind at all times.
For more information on parking fines and penalty charges, as well as deadlines and instructions about how to pay, appeal or challenge your ticket, you can consult the official government driving and transport pages.