EV bay overstay — TRO max-stay vs reasonable charging time
Some EV bays impose a maximum stay (often 2 or 4 hours) AFTER charging completes. Where the vehicle was charging for the bulk of that time and the overstay is a few minutes due to slow charge curve / charger session ending unexpectedly, councils should exercise discretion. The TRO must specify whether the time runs from session start or session end.
Legal basis
TMA 2004 s.78; specific TRO max-stay clauses; DfT Statutory Guidance to Local Authorities on Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions (March 2022) — councils must apply discretion, particularly for EV charging contexts where slow chargers may take 4+ hours
How to identify this in your case
Charging session log showing charging duration. PCN time vs end of charging session. TRO wording on what 'overstay' means.
Sample appeal wording
Dear Sir/Madam, Re: PCN [NUMBER] — EV Bay Overstay — [DATE] I request the Council exercise discretion. My vehicle was charging for [X] of the [Y]-hour permitted stay. The session log from [CPO] is attached. The purpose of EV bay max-stay clauses is to prevent abandoned/finished cars blocking bays. My vehicle was actively charging and the [X]-minute period after completion was due to [reason — e.g. delay returning to vehicle, charge curve plateau]. The DfT Statutory Guidance directs councils to apply discretion fairly. A short, charging-related overstay should not attract a PCN. Please cancel. Yours faithfully, [NAME]
Replace [PARKING DATE], [NtK DATE] etc. with your own dates before sending.
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