If you think you should not have been given a penalty charge notice by Shropshire Council, the first step is to challenge the issue of the penalty charge notice. If you intend to challenge, do not make or send payment. A payment will close the case down and we will be unable to investigate.
Our Penalty Charge Notice FAQs page answers the most common enquiries about the grounds on which to make a written challenge/representation or appeal. There is also further information in our Customer Charter and procedures and Grounds for the Cancellation of Penalty Charge Notices documents attached to this page.
Any challenge about the issue of a penalty charge notice must be made in writing and include the following:
- Your full name and postal address, including postcode
- The penalty charge notice number, which must be quoted on all correspondence
- Your vehicle registration mark
- The reason why you think the contravention did not occur
- Any written evidence to support your case
How can I submit a written challenge?
Online:using the parking appeals online form link on this page.
By post:send your written challenge, including the above details, to Shropshire Parking Service, PO Box 4751, Shrewsbury, SY1 9GL.
What happens next?
Stage 1 - Informal challenge
On receipt of a written challenge, we will acknowledge its receipt by letter within a few days so that you know that it has been received and that the case has been put on hold.
We will examine every case individually, and if we accept your reasons we will cancel the PCN and you will not have to pay anything. A challenge received within the discount period, i.e. 14 days of the date of issue, will be offered extended discount in the event that the challenge is rejected.
Stage 2 - Formal representation
If your informal challenge is rejected you will receive a Notice of Rejection of Challenge letter. You may decide that you disagree with this decision. If so, a further formal representation can be made to Shropshire Parking Service but only when the registered keeper of the vehicle receives a Notice to Owner (NTO). This legal document will be sent out 28 days after either the penalty charge was issued or the date of the Notice of Rejection of Challenge letter. The full penalty will be payable at this stage. A Notice to Owner is sent at this time irrespective of whether an informal challenge was initially made and only if the PCN remains outstanding.
The Notice to Owner is served on the registered keeper of the vehicle irrespective as to who may have been driving on the date of the contravention.
An appeals officer not involved in the earlier informal challenge stage will investigate the formal representation, and either a notice of acceptance or notice of rejection will be sent in response.
Stage 3 - Appeal
If a formal representation is rejected you will receive a Notice of Rejection of Representation which will explain the reasons for upholding the PCN. This document will also explain that a subsequent appeal may be submitted to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal for consideration by an independent adjudicator. The appellant may choose to have their appeal dealt with by either post, telephone or at a personal hearing. This part of the procedure will be fully explained in the Notice of Rejection of Representation.
The adjudicator's ruling is final, and a motorist could face having to pay costs if their appeal was felt to be unreasonable. Costs may also be awarded against Shropshire Council if it is considered to have acted similarly.
For further information on the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, please see the link to their website on this page.
For further general information about the enforcement process, please see the link on this page to the PATROL website.
What if I do not want to appeal?
If after reading the information on this page you no longer wish to appeal against your penalty charge, you can pay by following the link on this page. Making a payment will close the case down and you will no longer be entitled to make an appeal. Please also ensure that the correct amount is paid within any statutory time limit, as an underpayment will not close the case and will lead to further recovery action taking place.