Camera misread your number plate on LEZ notice
When a Low Emission Zone penalty notice is issued, the council must provide the photo from the approved camera if you ask for it. Automatic number-plate recognition cameras regularly confuse similar-looking characters — for example 'O' and '0', 'B' and '8', 'E' and 'F', or '5' and 'S'. Although a human is supposed to check the reading, mistakes still happen, especially when large numbers of images are processed. If the plate shown in the photo clearly does not match the registration on your penalty notice, the notice may not be valid.
Legal basis
SSI 2021/177 reg 6(5)(n); reg 8(4)(a); Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 s.7
How to identify this in your case
Still image plate unclear, partially obscured, or differs from PCN registration; or your plate is personalised/regional design that camera could mis-read.
Sample appeal wording
Dear [COUNCIL], Re: PCN [PCN_NUMBER] Representation under reg 8(1); ground reg 8(4)(a). I requested the approved-device record under reg 6(5)(n). Still image shows registration [WHAT_IMAGE_SHOWS], differing from my registration [VRN]. Camera appears to have mis-read [CHARACTER]. Evidence: enlarged crop of still image; photograph of my actual plate showing font/spacing. Contravention did not occur as regards my vehicle. Please cancel. Yours faithfully, [NAME]
Replace [PARKING DATE], [NtK DATE] etc. with your own dates before sending.
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- SSI 2021/177 reg 6(5)(n)