PCN for Clean Air Zone Bristol

[Mopey]

Hi everyone.
Just after some advice here. On the evening of 30th July I was travelling back home via Bristol and the clean air zone driving a car I need to pay the £9 charge for.
On my dash I waited until it was midnight and proceeded through so journey through on 31st of July and paid my £9.
I have just received a PCN for the 30th July as clocked at entering 11 seconds before midnight and they want to charge me £120 or £60 if paid early.
They have made no losses as I paid for the journey.

On the making a representation it does not allow for this kind of scenario wondered if anyone had any experience with this kind of thing. Is it worth fighting it or just pay the charge.

Thanks

Picture attached.

[BrettMRC]

I'd fight that!

[EmailAddress]

You drove through on the 30th?

[wazztie16]

EmailAddress said:

You drove through on the 30th?

I think the issue is that the OP believed they drove through on 31st due to their own car clock/watch, whatever being slightly ahead of the time set for the CAZ system. Easy to happen.

I think you'd win an appeal.

Though IANAL.

[Mopey]

EmailAddress said:

You drove through on the 30th?

By eleven seconds… so I spent eleven seconds of the 30th in the CAZ, perhaps with hindsight I should have sat and waited 2 mins just to be careful but my car clock said 12:00 on the 31st.

[OutInTheShed]

A bit daft to assume the clock in your car is that accurate?
Or is your dash clock GPS based?
I think most older cars you can only set the clock to the nearest minute, and many don't keep great time anyway?

Or do you really think you clock was right and they were wrong?


It would be reasonable for them to let you off though.

Also when you go online to pay, should it not be obvious that you owe for both days if that's the case?

[Mopey]

OutInTheShed said:

A bit daft to assume the clock in your car is that accurate?
Or is your dash clock GPS based?
I think most older cars you can only set the clock to the nearest minute, and many don't keep great time anyway?

Or do you really think you clock was right and they were wrong?


It would be reasonable for them to let you off though.

Also when you go online to pay, should it not be obvious that you owe for both days if that's the case?

I’m not disputing that clocks mine or theirs were inaccurate by X amount of time. More that to charge me seems pretty unreasonable given I paid for the following day as my understanding was that was the day I passed through the CAZ.

I didn’t see anything online just paid it through the gov website direct.

[WhiskyDisco]

Sounds like you should appeal.

What if you were to have entered on 30th, just before midnight, and exitted on 31st? (as you did)

Would you then need to pay twice, or just for the entry date?

[Mopey]

I think you would pay twice. Say you clearly entered at 11.50pm and left at 12.10am.
I don’t mind paying the extra £9 if that what it takes but to be charged £60 + is madness for eleven seconds.
As I say hindsight etc but I can only go off the in car clock which I think updates automatically etc.

Have appealed on their website as it freezes the amount you pay.

[mark-3bw80]

Since the Mayor introduced this scandalous charge a few years back I have not been to the centre of Bristol ( I live 6 miles out), some may say, because I don't have the relevant car "that's a good thing" But let me tell you I have shopped, drank and eaten else ware and not missed a thing in the centre. Thing is, if you know Bristol, It's slowly dying, empty shops and pubs while the surrounding areas are doing well, see Cribbs causeway a hive of activity with new shops and venues, free parking. Ladies and Gentlemen, avoid the charge and give your money to towns that welcome you.

[WhiskyDisco]

Mopey said:

I think you would pay twice. Say you clearly entered at 11.50pm and left at 12.10am.
I don’t mind paying the extra £9 if that what it takes but to be charged £60 + is madness for eleven seconds.
As I say hindsight etc but I can only go off the in car clock which I think updates automatically etc.

Have appealed on their website as it freezes the amount you pay.

That's unfair. If you drive in to go to the theatre, or a restaurant and drive out 00:01 you have to cough up another £9. Madness

[Bill]

WhiskyDisco said:

Sounds like you should appeal.

What if you were to have entered on 30th, just before midnight, and exitted on 31st? (as you did)

Would you then need to pay twice, or just for the entry date?

Apparently, yes.

[Mopey]

WhiskyDisco said:

Mopey said:

I think you would pay twice. Say you clearly entered at 11.50pm and left at 12.10am.
I don’t mind paying the extra £9 if that what it takes but to be charged £60 + is madness for eleven seconds.
As I say hindsight etc but I can only go off the in car clock which I think updates automatically etc.

Have appealed on their website as it freezes the amount you pay.

That's unfair. If you drive in to go to the theatre, or a restaurant and drive out 00:01 you have to cough up another £9. Madness

It I was being cynical it seems less about clean air and more about deep pockets.

[Sebring440]

Mopey said:

It I was being cynical it seems less about clean air and more about deep pockets.

What an original thought!

[juice]

mark-3bw80 said:

Since the Mayor introduced this scandalous charge a few years back I have not been to the centre of Bristol ( I live 6 miles out), some may say, because I don't have the relevant car "that's a good thing" But let me tell you I have shopped, drank and eaten else ware and not missed a thing in the centre. Thing is, if you know Bristol, It's slowly dying, empty shops and pubs while the surrounding areas are doing well, see Cribbs causeway a hive of activity with new shops and venues, free parking. Ladies and Gentlemen, avoid the charge and give your money to towns that welcome you.

Which is why Bedmo is up and coming and doing well (esp Nth Street), being out of the CAZ

[mark-3bw80]

juice said:

Which is why Bedmo is up and coming and doing well (esp Nth Street), being out of the CAZ

Which is a good thing, Gloucester rd is doing alright as well

[ARFBY]

WhiskyDisco said:

Mopey said:

I think you would pay twice. Say you clearly entered at 11.50pm and left at 12.10am.
I don’t mind paying the extra £9 if that what it takes but to be charged £60 + is madness for eleven seconds.
As I say hindsight etc but I can only go off the in car clock which I think updates automatically etc.

Have appealed on their website as it freezes the amount you pay.

That's unfair. If you drive in to go to the theatre, or a restaurant and drive out 00:01 you have to cough up another £9. Madness

It is of course a money grab. A slightly fairer system perhaps would give you 24hrs of travel from the time of purchase?

[the tribester]

ARFBY said:

WhiskyDisco said:

Mopey said:

I think you would pay twice. Say you clearly entered at 11.50pm and left at 12.10am.
I don’t mind paying the extra £9 if that what it takes but to be charged £60 + is madness for eleven seconds.
As I say hindsight etc but I can only go off the in car clock which I think updates automatically etc.

Have appealed on their website as it freezes the amount you pay.

That's unfair. If you drive in to go to the theatre, or a restaurant and drive out 00:01 you have to cough up another £9. Madness

It is of course a money grab. A slightly fairer system perhaps would give you 24hrs of travel from the time of purchase?

Fair?, I used to visit regularly to make a drop and I was only in the zone for 15 minutes, but there's only one price.
As posted, it's not about fairness or clean air.
They're certainly not spending the fortune they're racking in on the roads though.

[James6112]

Schoolboy error.

Edited by James6112 on Thursday 22 August 19:16

[blank]

If your car is using GPS time (as most modern ones do) then it is unfortunately 18 seconds ahead!