A new online portal to help motorists appeal parking fines goes live tomorrow (Monday, March 14), which aims to accelerate the appeals process.
Currently, just 0.5% of people appeal to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT), even though half of those who do have their fine overturned.
The new platform has been developed by TPT in partnership with Resolver, an online consumer complaints service, to provide a way to fight unfairly awarded tickets.
Brighton & Hove City Council will launch the service from Monday, and TPT plans to roll it out to every council in the country by the end of this year.
Drivers who receive a Penalty Charge Notice for parking or bus lane contraventions in England (outside London) and Wales will shortly be able to appeal the fine via their smartphone, tablet, laptop or PC, rather than the age-old and slow process of submitting paper copies in the post. They will also be able to upload videos and photographic evidence.
The system also allows people to appeal fines for the Dartford Crossing and Durham congestion charge.
It also makes the process quicker and cheaper for the authorities that issued the fine, with independent adjudicators at the Tribunal able to decide cases within days rather than weeks.
TPT has worked with Resolver.co.uk over the past 12 months to develop the new portal.
Caroline Sheppard, chief adjudicator of the TPT, said: “Getting a parking ticket can be a frustrating experience, but our new portal makes the appeals process quicker, simpler and more transparent, putting paid to the old adage that ‘the wheels of justice grind slowly’.
“The platform has already generated considerable interest from other areas of the UK judiciary because it is fast, efficient, accessible and will bring cost savings to local authorities as well as simplifying the process for those appealing.”
James Walker, CEO of Resolver.co.uk, said: “Resolver.co.uk is there to help consumers to resolve complaints with any type of business or service and it is time that all parking appeals should be online and we want to help make this happen.”
Brighton’s policy and development manager Paul Nicholls said: “We are very excited to be the first local authority to use the portal. It reduces the time taken to process appeals, streamlines our communication with appellants and cuts the cost of administration, which benefits all of our residents.”
By the end of this year, all motorists whose appeals are dealt with by TPT will have the option to appeal online.
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