PATAS - from 1 to 13 December 14 - back to normal

Normal service was more or less resumed in this fortnight with 63 Barnet Appeals to PATAS out of 1876 London wide which is 3.4% (the norm is 4%).

Of the Appeals heard there were 53 in the fortnight and 36 of them were won which is 68% for the motorist so the council seem to be struggling to achieve their aim of always winning and are short even of 50% which is the usual across the board success rate.

Winning motorists included the following cases:

Someone was alighting on crutches which takes time.

A vehicle was taken without consent.

8 cases were not contested by the council (which we haven't seen in bulk for a while)

Someone was unloading to their new home (max 20 minutes probably).

A suspension sign was placed too low.

No evidence that the vehicle had been driven away.

"High Rd N20" was not adequate description for a postal PCN.

In Ridge Rd the bay sign was missing.

A traffic warden managed to see an invalid permit but no the valid one in the same windscreen.

More Appeals to PATAS please.

Yours appealingly

Miss Feezance

PATAS - w/c 18 August 14 - Hot & cross

A quiet week at PATAS without any Saturday hearings (best avoided anyway) as the Monday was a bank holiday. 956 new Appeals were filed of which 60 were from Barnet. This is 6% and is more than a fair share which probably reflects the poor quality of the PCNs and of their processing.

There were 58 Appeals of which 39 (67% or 2/3rds) were won by the motorist.

I'll tell you of one lost Appeal and then of 3 that were won.

The one that was lost related to a yellow line on Good Friday. That is, for parking purposes on yellow lines, a normal day. I expect that the motorist was hot & cross at that PCN and the outcome as it isn't necessary to restrict Bank holiday parking.

Three that were won:

In Ridge Road, NW2 the bay markings were found to be very faded.

In the Lodge Lane Car Park the adjudicator was unhappy with the council for having filed 134 pages of Evidence which was said to be overwhelming for the typical motorist. Having given out the PCN for a PayByPhone bay the council fell over its shoelaces by referring to a meter.

A disabled motorist who didn't display their blue badge clock (but did display the blue badge) was OK as there is no stated requirement in the Traffic Management Order for the clock to be on display.

A quiet week and the next one is even quieter. Time to file some more appeals folks.

Yours appealingly

Miss Feezance