Parking up the wrong fee: Which? takes over billboard on London’s most fined street with parking ticket advice

As part of the consumer champion’s ‘Get Answers’ brand campaign, Which? will be taking over a billboard on Mare Street in Hackney – London’s parking fine hotspot – with advice on how to appeal a parking ticket. 

Recent research crowned Mare Street in Hackney the worst street for parking fines in London. In the two years to July 2022, Mare Street drivers had received 32,347 penalty charge notice fines worth a staggering £2.26 million.

To help keep parking tickets at bay with useful everyday advice, Which? has created a giant parking ticket mural on the road, from 24th May to 11th June. This will feature a QR code which passersby can scan to get Which?’s top tips on how to appeal a parking ticket.

Consumers might want to appeal a ticket for a range of reasons – for example, due to mitigating circumstances like health issues or a vehicle breakdown or because there were unclear parking signs.

The first step to appeal a ticket is to gather all the supporting evidence possible – such as any photos of broken parking meters or unclear signs. Consumers should then follow the council’s process for appealing parking fines. If the appeal is accepted then the fine will be cancelled. However, if it is rejected then the consumer will need to decide whether to appeal again to an independent adjudicator.

If the ticket is from a private parking company rather than the council then consumers will need to follow the company’s internal appeals process. If this appeal is rejected, then consumers should check if the company is a member of an accredited trade association and to follow that formal appeals process.

Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA) received over 80,000 parking ticket appeals in 2022 alone – a 53 per cent increase on 55,237 appeals received in 2021.

Harry Kind, Which? Consumer Expert, said: 

“It’s shocking that a single street can rack up £2 million in parking fines in just two years.

“With private parking tickets also on the rise, it’s important that consumers know their rights and how to appeal a ticket if they are unfairly caught out by the parking warden.

“Which?’s billboard aims to offer helpful everyday advice and help Mare Street drivers get the answers they need.”

ENDS 

Notes to editors

Read more on Appy Parking’s research on the worst places to park here.

Read more on POPLA’s research here.

Which? – How To Appeal A Parking Ticket

Which?’s Get Answers campaign

Which?’s ‘Get Answers’ brand campaign showcases the breadth and depth of free, accessible and expert advice offered by Which?.

The consumer champion’s ‘Home of Answers’ activity is currently live in London, with fly poster QR codes spread around the city allowing people to get answers to everyday life questions in an accessible way. TV presenter Laura Whitmore will be helping members of the public to interact with several special QR codes – including a giant parking ticket at a London parking fine hot spot, a jigsaw-themed QR code on the South Bank, pointing to advice for family days out, a ‘living’ QR code made of real moss on the way to the Chelsea Flower Show, and a UV QR code in Old Street that reveals tips for better sleep when the sun goes down. This will be supported by national radio and digital advertising demonstrating the depth and breadth of answers to everyday questions that you can get from Which? for free.

Further activity includes a ‘Home of Answers’ day in Manchester on 31st May , in which a billboard will be brought to life with real-life experts sitting behind windows within the hoarding, ready to get answers for passers-by on key issues of the day, from saving money, to travel tips or even avoiding scams.

Please  email emma.clarke@which.co.uk for images.

About Which?

Which? is the UK’s consumer champion, here to make life simpler, fairer and safer for everyone. Our research gets to the heart of consumer issues, our advice is impartial, and our rigorous product tests lead to expert recommendations. We’re the independent consumer voice that influences politicians and lawmakers, investigates, holds businesses to account and makes change happen. As an organisation we’re not for profit and all for making consumers more powerful.

The information in this press release is for editorial use by journalists and media outlets only. Any business seeking to reproduce information in this release should contact the Which? Endorsement Scheme team at endorsementscheme@which.co.uk.

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