‘Absolutely disgraceful’ – I was slapped with a fine after car crashed into MY shop… even traffic warden took my side
AN ART gallery owner has been left fuming when he was handed a parking fine after a car crashed into his shop.
Calvin Smith saw thousands of pounds of damage caused when the silver Toyota smashed through the building's display window, only to be hit with more charges.
Mr Smith, who owns the Westover Gallery in Ringwood, Hampshire, was devastated when a driver reversed into his high street site.
The crash caused thousands of pounds worth of damage and will force the shop to close for months while it is repaired.
But insult was added to injury when he says a traffic warden handed him a £35 parking fine for his own car which he claims was trapped in the road by emergency services and a police cordon.
He told the : "I couldn't do anything about it because the road was then blocked, so I couldn't turn around and go anywhere.
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"We had the traffic warden telling [the council] to revoke the fine because it should never have happened and [they] just basically said no.
"It’s not about the money, it’s the fact that it was my gallery that was smashed and now this, it is absolutely disgraceful."
Mr Smith insisted that as he inspected the damage he parked 20ft from the scene because the road was blocked off by emergency vehicles.
However, a letter he received from the council shortly after reportedly rejected his defence.
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The letter, apparently seen by the Echo, is said to have read: "You have stated that a major incident took place in High Street as a vehicle had driven through your shopfront window and you spoke with the [traffic warden] who apologised for issuing this PCN and advised you to challenge and have the PCN revoked.
"Whilst we appreciate the incident which took place on the day of the contravention, this does not justify cancellation of this PCN.
"We would expect the driver to ensure their vehicle is parked in compliance with parking regulations."
A spokesperson for Hampshire County Council said: "No PCNs were issued in the area that was closed off but, in this case, it is understood that the vehicle was parked outside of that area, in a loading bay.
"Any individual who believes they have been incorrectly charged with a penalty charge notice should follow the instructions on the reverse of the notice to make an appeal.
"Please note that an appeal must be lodged within 14 days of the notice being issued."
How to appeal a parking ticket
When you receive a parking ticket the notice will usually provide a window in which you can appeal it and some detail on how to do so.
If the fine is from a council, it will have a dedicated appeals service which should be accessible online or by email or post.
If you appeal within the given window (usually 28 days) the council will then consider your appeal and issue a response.
In the event that you are still dissatisfied with the outcome, you can take it to an independent tribunal, though this can take months.
Just be cautious as most fines include a discount for early payment, which you may miss out on while your appeal is considered.
As for private parking fines, it's a little more complicated.
Like with councils you can appeal directly to the company that issued the fine.
However, if you are rejected, there is no tribunal to go to.
Instead, you will have to find out which independent appeals service the company you're dealing with is a part of and submit your complaint to them.
The only thing to note is that the appeals services are often funded by the parking companies themselves.
Check out our exclusive video with the Secret Traffic Warden to find out three major reasons to appeal your ticket.