It is clear that whilst a technical contravention has occurred this is clearly a case in which discretion should have been applied and the PCN cancelled. This type of miserable, petty minded, mean, common sense free, money grubbing PCN just gets councils a bad name. It certainly doesn't bring the council closer to its residents. The resident did his best to comply and should not have been treated in this way. It is churlish in the extreme.
Motorists who are represented win a greater percentage of their tribunal Appeals. To get good free help start a thread here.
The end.