If the ANPR record shows your vehicle was in a drop-off zone for five minutes or less, the BPA Code's consideration period may support your appeal. Check your notice first. If the recorded time is longer, you can still raise other points.
Where the five-minute period comes from
The British Parking Association (BPA) Code of Practice includes a minimum five-minute consideration period for drivers to read the signs and decide whether to stay or leave. Check the current Code and your operator's membership, as the rules that apply can depend on the circumstances.
The point is straightforward: a driver needs a reasonable chance to see and consider the terms before deciding whether to use the area.
Why it may help at an airport
Many drop-offs are brief. The ANPR entry and exit times on a PCN or its photos may show a stay of five minutes or less. If so, you can explain that the vehicle left within the consideration period.
How to raise this point
State the time shown on the notice and say that the vehicle left within the five-minute consideration period. Ask the operator to check the ANPR photographs if the timestamps are unclear. Our airport appeal templates include this point where relevant.
You can also raise it alongside other grounds, such as keeper liability and relevant land or unclear signs.
What if it was longer than five minutes?
If a queue or congestion delayed your exit, explain what happened and when. Do not claim the vehicle left within five minutes if that is not true. Other appeal points may still apply regardless of the length of the stay.
Sources
- The Single Code of Practice (27 June 2024), section 5.1 (consideration period, including Note 2), section 5.2 (grace period, including Notes 1 and 2) and section 5.3 (prohibition on stopping). Primary. Single Code of Practice (PDF)
- POPLA, "Parking charges: understanding grace periods and appeal deadlines" (published 6 August 2026). Source of the minimum consideration periods in Annex B. Primary. POPLA