Windsor & Maidenhead offers 25% discount to drivers who lose PCN appeals

Department for Transport hopes trial will encourage more motorists to appeal

Motorists who lose their appeals against penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued by the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead will receive a 25% discount under a trial being conducted in partnership with the Department for Transport (DfT).

The 12-month pilot scheme follows a recommendation from the House of Commons’ Transport Committee that the appeals system should be fair for people with credible cases who want to challenge their fine.

The cost of the pilot scheme, estimated to be £4,280, is be shared equally with the Department for Transport.

Under the current system parking penalties in the Royal Borough are £50 or £70 depending on the contravention and are both discounted by 50% if paid within 14 days. If the notice is challenged unsuccessfully the full amount must be paid.

Cllr Carwyn Cox, cabinet member for environmental services, said: “Government ministers believe motorists often take advantage of the initial discounted rates and are deterred from appealing the parking fine when they have legitimate reasons. 

“I am delighted that we have been selected by the government as the only authority to take part in this pilot scheme. We want to make sure that the parking penalty system is fair for all and this scheme aims to help those who feel they have legitimate reasons to challenge a fine, while ensuring those who have broken parking regulations are penalised. 

“We will undertake regular reviews to see what impact the scheme is having and will be working with our government colleagues while the pilot is in place.”

Government roads minister Andrew Jones said: “We are on the side of hardworking and honest motorists. I am pleased motorists in Windsor, Maidenhead and Ascot will get a fairer deal when it comes to appealing parking fines. I will look with interest at what impact this has before considering rolling this out nationally.”

The pilot applies to PCNs issued on or after 1 April. 

The 25% discount is only available to those who have appealed to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT) and lost. The discount is only applicable for the seven days following an unsuccessful TPT appeal.

TPT covers local authorities in England and Wales outside London. Caroline Sheppard, chief adjudicator of the TPT, said: “The Royal Borough is the first local authority in England to pilot this scheme so the adjudicators look forward to explaining to the appellants in their cases this enlightened approach. It is now quicker and simpler to appeal through the Traffic Penalty Tribunal online appeals system, so we will assess the impact with great interest.”

Windsor & Maidenhead started using Barbour Logic’s Response Master letter-generating system in March 2016. 

Jason Barbour, managing director of Barbour Logic, said the new discount policy has been built into the system set up specifically for the council.

“We made some key text changes in Response Master to get the 25% discount message across,” he said. “Our customer service managers Stacey Chaplin and Matt Turner worked closely with council staff to make sure that the 25% discount was described clearly and they will review it after monitoring motorists’ reactions.”