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Cases on the site currently cover parking, bus lane, moving traffic and road user charging, including the London Congestion Charge and Clean Air Zones (outside London). More cases and contravention types will be added in due course.

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Please note: All adjudicator decisions included on this website are in the public domain. While they have been curated together here for the convenience and interest of users, any information contained within the decisions remains the responsibility of the original adjudicating body. Any questions relating to the content of cases should also be directed to the adjudicating body.

Miss C – v – Surrey County Council
(RR00148-2603)

Traffic Penalty Tribunal

Decision Date: 2026-04-17

Outcome: Dismissed

• Parking
• Accidental
• Adjudicator discretion
• Broken down vehicle / Breakdown
• Council discretion
• Double Yellow Lines
• Emergency
• Evidence
• Financial hardship
• Mechanical failure
• Mitigating circumstances
• Signs / Lines
• Strict Liability

This case clarifies that running out of petrol is not a circumstance beyond the driver’s control and is not a mechanical failure.

Such circumstances do not cause the suspension of parking restrictions and are mitigation that the adjudicator cannot consider.

The case also makes clear that the adjudicator cannot adjust the fixed penalty amount on the basis of mitigation or financial hardship.

Read adjudicator's decision in full