MORE than 200 penalty charge notices (PCN) have been issued to drivers who left their vehicles in one road in Basingstoke over the last year.
The Gazette asked Hampshire County Council which road in Basingstoke and Deane has seen drivers issued with the most PCNs.
The council has since revealed that a shocking 271 drivers were handed the warning after leaving their vehicle on Priestley Road since Friday, March 31 last year.
Priestly Road is just 0.2 miles away from Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, which also has its own payable parking facilities.
A PCN can be issued for breaking some traffic rules, for example going against a ‘no right turn’ sign or driving in a bus lane, not paying the charge for the London congestion zone, low emission zone or Dartford Crossing (Dart Charge) on time.
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According to the Government website if you do not pay such a charge within 28 days, you’ll get a ‘charge certificate’ and you’ll have 14 days to pay the original fine plus 50 per cent more.
Residents can appeal against a PCN if they believe the fine was issued incorrectly or there are special circumstances that should mean it is reconsidered.
The statutory grounds for challenging (appealing) an incorrectly issued fine include the offence did not occur, the penalty charge exceeds the correct amount, the traffic order was invalid, you were not the owner or keeper of the vehicle at the time of the offence, the vehicle had been taken without your consent, you are a hire firm and have supplied the name of the person hiring the vehicle, the council has made an administrative error or you have already paid the relevant fine on time.
If the council reject an appeal drivers have another 14 days to pay at the reduced rate.
For more information about fines visit hants.gov.uk/transport/parking/parking-fine/challenge-pcn.
The figures provided by the council cover the timeframe from Friday, March 31 last year to Sunday, March 31 this year.
The county council has been asked for a comment.
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