Penalty Charge Notice - General Information


About Penalty Charge Notices

The Isle of Wight Council enforce parking regulations under the Traffic Management Act 2004. One of the ways in which they do this is by issuing Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) which are also processed by the local authority. However, PCNs are enforced through the civil justice system, rather than the criminal justice system. Therefore, councils enforcing parking restrictions under the Traffic Management Act 2004 are said to be operating “decriminalised parking enforcement”.

It is in your interest to fully understand:
  • Why a PCN has been issued.
  • How to respond correctly.
  • Whether you have valid grounds to make representations to the Council.
  • How to make an appeal to the independent Parking Adjudicator if your initial representations to the Council are rejected.
  • Other types of ticket.

There are different types of parking ticket other than Penalty Charge Notices which are issued under the Road Traffic Act 1991. These can be divided into two main categories:
  • Parking tickets issued by a traffic warden or police officer
    These are known as Fixed Penalty Notices and are dealt with at the local Central Ticket Office. Enforcement takes place in the local Magistrates Court.
    The Isle of Wight Council DOES NOT deal with Fixed Penalty Charges or any other parking ticket issued by the police.
  • Penalty Charge Notices issued by private parking companies
    Some private companies use a parking agent (i.e. NCP) to issue parking tickets in their car parks. The Isle of Wight Council does not take any responsibility for these tickets as they are processed by the relevant parking agency.




Page last updated on: 24/06/2008