How to use this appeal template
Free Appeal Template, Birmingham Airport
Birmingham AirportI appeal as the registered keeper of the vehicle. I am not obliged to identify the driver and decline to do so.
1. The parking charge is not notified until after the contract is entered into. Under the principles established by the Court of Appeal in Thornton v Shoe Lane Parking [1971] 2 QB 163, a term introduced after a contract has been formed does not become part of that contract. The charge therefore forms no part of any contract between the driver and the operator.
2. The signage is not compliant with the BPA Code of Practice. The charging terms were not displayed clearly, prominently, or legibly at a point where the driver could have made an informed decision to avoid the zone before entering it. No valid contract was formed.
3. The vehicle was present in the drop-off zone for no more than 5 minutes. The driver is entitled to the 5-minute consideration period expressly mandated by the BPA Code of Practice, during which no charge may be levied.
4. Under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, keeper liability cannot be transferred for breaches of the operator's own statutory duties or breaches of the Code of Practice. The operator has failed to comply with the requirement to display adequate signage and therefore cannot pursue the registered keeper.
5. The charge is not a genuine pre-estimate of loss and is therefore an unenforceable penalty at common law. The operator has suffered no identifiable loss as a result of the vehicle's presence in the drop-off zone.
Any one of the above grounds is sufficient on its own to require cancellation of the PCN. I require this charge to be cancelled and invite the operator to confirm cancellation in writing.
What is the Birmingham drop-off charge, and is it enforceable?
Birmingham Airport operates a dedicated drop-off charge zone, enforced by Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. Drivers who enter the official drop-off area are charged £4 for up to 15 minutes or £6 for up to 30 minutes. The charge is issued as a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) by a private parking operator contracted to manage the zone.
Crucially, this is not a council-issued Penalty Charge Notice. It is a private civil debt, governed by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 and the British Parking Association (BPA) Code of Practice. This means the process for challenging it is different, and in many cases, considerably more favourable to the driver.
Many drivers successfully appeal these charges on the grounds of inadequate signage, ANPR error, or because they never entered the designated charge zone at all. Even in clear-cut cases, operators regularly waive charges for first-time appellants.
The strongest grounds for appealing a Birmingham PCN
1. Inadequate or unclear signage
Under the BPA Code of Practice, operators must display prominent, legible signage that clearly communicates the terms and charges before a driver commits to entering. If you genuinely did not see or understand the signage at Birmingham, this is a strong ground.
2. ANPR timing discrepancy
ANPR systems record the time your number plate is read entering and leaving a zone. If there was congestion, a slow-moving queue, or a camera delay, your recorded time may be longer than your actual drop-off. Request the photographic evidence, discrepancies are surprisingly common.
3. You were not in the charge zone
If you believe you did not enter the designated drop-off charge area, request the ANPR evidence and compare it against published zone boundary maps.
4. Genuine emergency or exceptional circumstances
Operators are expected to use discretion in cases of medical emergency, bereavement travel, or other exceptional circumstances. Document any evidence you have and include it with your appeal.
5. First offence / goodwill cancellation
Many private operators will cancel a first charge as a gesture of goodwill, particularly if your letter is polite and professional. Even if you have no specific technical ground, it is always worth appealing once before paying.
Frequently asked questions, Birmingham drop-off charges
How much is the Birmingham Airport drop-off charge in 2025?
Birmingham's current drop-off charges are £4 for up to 15 minutes and £6 for up to 30 minutes in the designated drop-off zone.
Can I really appeal a Birmingham drop-off charge successfully?
Yes, and more often than you might expect. Informal first-stage appeals succeed in a significant proportion of cases, particularly where signage concerns are raised or where it is a first offence. Even if the informal appeal fails, escalation to POPLA is free and operators lose a meaningful number of POPLA cases.
What is POPLA and how do I use it?
POPLA (Parking on Private Land Appeals) is the independent appeals service for BPA-member parking operators. If your informal appeal is rejected, the operator must provide you with a POPLA verification code. You then submit your appeal at popla.co.uk free of charge. A POPLA adjudicator, entirely independent of the operator, will review the case.
Will ignoring the charge make it go away?
No, and this approach carries risk. Unpaid private parking charges can eventually result in a County Court Judgement (CCJ) if the operator pursues the debt through the courts, which could affect your credit record. Appealing costs nothing and takes very little time.
I'm the registered keeper but wasn't driving, am I liable?
Under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, a parking operator can pursue the registered keeper, but only if they issue a Notice to Keeper within 14 days of the alleged contravention (or 28 days if a Notice to Driver was first issued). If these timescales were not met, keeper liability does not apply. Check the dates on your notice carefully.
Can the charge affect my credit score?
A private parking charge notice alone cannot affect your credit score. Credit records are only impacted if the operator obtains a County Court Judgement against you and you fail to pay it within 30 days. Simply receiving or disputing a PCN does not appear on any credit file.