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42

Contravention code 42: In a police bay

Bays kept for police vehicles outside stations and at operational points. They usually run at all times, and unlike many reserved bays they are rarely suspended.

Parked in a parking place designated for police vehicles The official national descriptor for code 42, as published in the Department for Transport statutory guidance list.
Penalty bandHigher, the more expensive rate
Where it is usedOn-street
10-minute grace periodDoes not apply to this code
DiscountNormally 50% off if paid within 14 days

What the council has to be able to show

An appeal is not an apology, it is a challenge to the council’s case. For code 42 that case rests on:

Where code 42 tickets go wrong

The bay was not signed

Photograph the plate. Some police bays are marked only by faded text on the road.

The restriction is time-limited

A minority operate only during stated hours. Compare the plate against the time on the notice.

The station has closed

Bays outlive the buildings they served. If the station is shut, ask whether the order is still in force.

You were directed to park there

If an officer told you to wait there, say so, with the date and the reason you were attending.

What to gather before you write

Write your code 42 appeal → Free letter generator: pick the grounds that fit, get properly-worded wording in two minutes. Nothing you type leaves your browser.

Code 42 questions, answered

The police station has been closed for years. Is the bay still enforceable?

Only if the traffic order is still in force, and orders do outlive the buildings they were made for. Photograph the building showing it is disused, then ask the council to confirm the order is current and to provide it. They will either produce it or cancel, and either way you have asked the right question.

What does contravention code 42 mean?

Parked in a parking place designated for police vehicles. In plain terms: Bays kept for police vehicles outside stations and at operational points. They usually run at all times, and unlike many reserved bays they are rarely suspended.

How much is a code 42 penalty?

Code 42 sits in the higher band, so it carries the more expensive of the two rates that council uses. Outside London that is commonly around £70; in London it is £160 in Band A or £140 in Band B. Half is normally taken off if you pay within 14 days, and your notice states the actual figures.

Your notice is definitive. This page explains the national code. Councils use extra codes and local suffixes, and the wording printed on your own notice always takes precedence. Check the deadline on the notice before you do anything else, because the discount usually runs out after 14 days.

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