Skip to main content

Pay or Challenge a Parking Fine / PCN

'Parking fines' is the commonly used name for Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs).

Rochford District Council only deals with PCNs issued in our car parks. Please note - Rochford District Council does not enforce on-street parking regulations (yellow lines, commuter parking etc). Any queries or enforcement issues that relate to parking on roads, pavement or grass verges, should be directed to the South Essex Parking Partnership on 01245 606710 or email parking@chelmsford.gov.uk

How to avoid receiving a Penalty Charge Notice in a Rochford District car park

  • Check the times when parking is allowed
  • Park fully within the markings of the bay
  • Do not park without making payment at the nearest available pay and display machine or by mobile phone. If the one closest to your car is showing out of order, then please use another machine in the car park
  • Do not leave your vehicle to go and get change for the pay and display machine
  • Check that your pay and display ticket is face up showing the expiry time before leaving your vehicle
  • Do not leave expired tickets on your dashboard
  • Do not come back to your vehicle and insert additional coins into the pay and display machine if this is not permitted (Short Stay Car Parks)
  • Do not park in a disabled persons bay without a blue badge

What do I do if I receive a PCN?

You should pay it by one of the following methods:

Credit/Debit Cards: Accepted by telephone on 03000 032197 or online - click on the link in the Related Content section.

If you receive a PCN please do not argue with the Civil Enforcement Officer (CEO) as the PCN has been issued based on the facts as seen by the CEO at the time of issue. You may request that your comments are recorded by the CEO in their handheld computer but the CEO has no authority or power to cancel or 'tear up' the PCN.

Important

  • Please do not ignore your PCN
  • Do not ignore any letters from us
  • If you write to us always state the number of the PCN and your full postal address on all correspondence
  • You can challenge your PCN

Appeals Process

You can challenge a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) if you think it should not have been issued or there are special reasons why it should be cancelled.  There is no charge for submitting a parking appeal.  There are three stages to the appeal process:

1. Informal Challenge     

2. Formal Representation   

3. Traffic Penalty Tribunal              

Informal challenge

If you have received a Penalty Charge Notice that you think should not have been issued, you must write to us within 14 days.  You can make an online informal challenge to the PCN or write to the address on the reverse of the PCN to explain the reasons for your appeal.  Please do not telephone, as oral challenges are not acceptable under the legislation.  

If payment has not been received within 28 days following the issue of a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), Rochford District Council may serve a 'Notice to Owner' (NTO) on the person who appears to be the owner of the vehicle at the time when the parking contravention occurred.

It is presumed that the owner was the person in whose name the vehicle was at that time held by the DVLA. as registered keeper and in nearly all cases this is the person or organisation who will be served in the first instance with a NTO.

The Notice to Owner (NTO) details the statutory representation grounds allowed under the Traffic Management Act 2004. Rochford District Council will also consider representations on the basis of mitigation or extenuating circumstances.

If Rochford District Council rejects a representation, it will serve upon the NTO recipient a formal 'Notice of Rejection'. This Notice will give the reason for rejection and will have included a form that may be used to make an appeal to the independent parking adjudicator (The Traffic Penalty Tribunal).  Any such appeal must be made within 28 days of service by the Council of a 'Notice of Rejection'.

The Traffic Penalty Tribunal is a tribunal that provides the motorist with an opportunity to appeal to an independent body against a Penalty Charge Notice. An adjudicator will consider the appeal and make a decision that is binding on both parties.

There is no cost in making an appeal and the appellant may opt for his appeal to be considered at a personal hearing where an attendance may be made OR for a decision to be made following consideration of evidence supplied by both parties by post.