Vehicles causing an obstruction can be removed instantly, for persistent evaders or on double yellows the time limit is 15 minutes and from a permit bay the vehicle should not be removed before 30 minutes has expired.
It would be fair and reasonable to not start to remove the vehicle before the 30 minutes has expired as the driver may have been unavoidably detained somewhere (doctor or dentist for example) and as removal is a draconian remedy a council should not rush to remove but this is Newham and although in the east of London it is like the wild west.
The photographs that Newham Council place on their website are not date and time stamped. If you want the times make a subject access request by email to InformationRightsTeam@newham.gov.uk Include proof of your identity (driving licence or passport and proof of address (a recent utility bill) quote the PCN ref. and say you want to know the times of each photo. If the council get enough requests they might decide to stop hiding the information online.
The contravention did occur so the 50% paid for the PCN was not ordered to be refunded but that is a useful £200 refunded to Mr Harea. The removal fee is now £280 so be careful.
Newham Council broke the law, that is cheating.
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