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proceduralUK · England & WalesDifficulty: moderate

Vehicle Substantially Within the Bay — Trivial Projection Over the Line

If your car was essentially inside the bay and only a wheel or bumper edge sat on or fractionally over the line, the council must still prove you were 'not parked correctly within the markings'. Government statutory guidance requires enforcement to be proportionate and targeted only where action is needed, and many councils' own guidelines tell officers not to ticket trivial overhangs. The council's photographs often fail to prove any meaningful projection at all.

Legal basis

Contravention code 24 (not parked correctly within the markings of the bay or space); Traffic Management Act 2004 s.87 statutory guidance to local authorities on civil enforcement of parking contraventions (proportionate, consistent, targeted enforcement)

How to identify this in your case

Was your vehicle almost entirely inside the bay, with only a wheel touching the line or a small part just over it? Photograph the vehicle position from front, back and side before moving it if possible, and check the council's own PCN photos — do they actually show any part of the car clearly outside the markings?

Sample appeal wording

formal

Replace [PARKING DATE], [NtK DATE] etc. with your own dates before sending.

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Scan your PCN — our AI checks if this ground applies to your specific ticket, drafts a properly-cited appeal letter, and submits it to the council on your behalf. Only pay if you win.

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Sources

Related appeal grounds

Next steps

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