PCN issued during new camera's six-month warning period

When a council starts enforcing a new camera or junction, government guidance says it must issue warning notices instead of fines for the first six months at that site. This rule is about the site being newly active, not about whether you have ever received a fine before. If you got a full penalty charge notice (PCN) within six months of that site first going live, and you had no previous PCN at that same site, the council should have sent you a warning instead.

Legal basis

DfT Statutory Guidance: Civil Enforcement of Moving Traffic Contraventions (June 2022); Traffic Management Act 2004 Part 6; The Civil Enforcement of Road Traffic Contraventions (Approved Devices, Charging Guidelines and General Provisions) (England) Regulations 2022 (in force 31 May 2022).

How to identify this in your case

Look up when the council switched on enforcement at that specific camera or junction — check the council's moving-traffic enforcement webpage or published committee reports. If the date on your PCN falls within six months of that site's go-live date, and you had not previously received a PCN at that same site, this ground may apply to you.

Sample appeal wording

Before you send this

Deadline. A late submission can be turned down without your argument being read. Check your notice for the deadline and how it is counted.
Paying may end it. Paying can count as accepting the notice and can close a challenge already under way. Part-paying or acknowledging an old debt can also revive a time limit that had expired.
The amount can change. Check what happens to the sum if you challenge — it may be held, re-offered lower, or keep rising, and fees or enforcement can continue meanwhile.
Use the official route. Use the method, recipient and form your notice specifies, with any reference, evidence and signature it asks for. Sent elsewhere, it may not count.
Only say what is true. Do not copy any statement of fact unless it is true for you, and check the legal point still applies. Delete what does not fit. It may be treated as your statement.
Careful what you volunteer. Avoid unnecessary admissions — naming the driver or accepting responsibility can remove arguments. But answer anything you are legally required to answer, and do include the evidence your ground needs.
Keep the record. Keep what you sent, the attachments, any receipt, and the reply. Note the next deadline.

Sample wording to adapt and send yourself — it may not fit your notice or the stage you are at. Replace the bracketed prompts with your own details; leave any case citation as it is.

Dear [Council] Parking Services, Re: PCN [PCN_NUMBER] This is my first alleged contravention at [SITE/JUNCTION]. According to your published commencement notice, civil enforcement of moving traffic contraventions at this site began on [START_DATE]. The contravention date of [PCN_DATE] falls within six months of commencement. DfT Statutory Guidance requires councils to issue a warning notice (not a full PCN) for any vehicle's FIRST contravention at a newly enforced site for the first six months. As this is my first contravention here within that window, this PCN must be cancelled and replaced with a warning. Yours faithfully, [Driver Name]

Beat It writes this argument automatically

Scan your PCN — our AI checks if this ground applies to your specific ticket, drafts a properly-cited appeal letter, and sends it for you where the council takes email — guiding you through their own online form where they use one, so you press submit. The win fee is only charged if you win.

PCN issued during new camera's six-month warning period

Legal basis

How to identify this in your case

Sample appeal wording

Beat It writes this argument automatically

Sources

Related appeal grounds

Next steps