Thousands of tickets are handed out each year (Picture: Getty)

It is thought that around 17,000 parking tickets are handed out in Britain each day.

This works out at around a staggering 12 tickets a minute – or one in every five seconds.

Earlier this month Metro.co.uk revealed that in the run-up to Christmas the number of tickets issued to drivers reached ‘epidemic proportions’.

RAC Foundation analysis of government data showed 1.58 million vehicle keeper records were obtained from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) by parking management firms between October and December – representing a 10% increase on the same period during the previous year.

Parking companies use the information to chase vehicle owners for alleged infringements in private car parks, sending penalty charges often worth up to £100.

There are three different types of parking ticket (Picture: Getty)

According to appeals service POPLA, around half of the appeals that completed its process between October 2016 and September last year were cancelled.

But this means thousands of tickets issued to motorists were not challenged and while most tickets are quite rightly given to drivers who break the rules, there are some which were issued unfairly.

So how can you challenge a parking ticket that you think has been issued unfairly?

Remember, there are three different types of parking tickets you can be given and your appeal depends on what you have been issued.

Penalty Charge Notices are issued on public land from the council, Parking Charge Notices are issued on private land from a landowner or parking company while Fixed Penalty Notices are issued on red routes or zig zags from the police.

What should you do if you think you have been issued a ticket unfairly? (Picture: Getty)

If it’s a Penalty Charge Notice you should write to the council while if it is a Parking Charge Notice you should check if the company is an Accredited Trade Association (ATA) member. If the company is accredited then you can appeal on the website or write to them explaining the reasons for objecting.

If you have been handed a Fixed Penalty Notice then check to see whether it was issued by the police or council and write to the appropriate body and explain why you object.

Citizens Advice say you shouldn’t pay immediately if you want to appeal the charge and that you should check how long you have to challenge the ticket.

Make an initial appeal to the ticket issuer by phone, post or email and include supporting evidence like photos which show the parking signs weren’t clear.

Write a further appeal if your ticket issuer has a formal complaints procedure in place.

Some ticket issuers belong to independent appeal schemes which provide a free and impartial service.

But most importantly pay your parking ticket if your appeal is turned down. You could be hit with further costs if you don’t.

Citizens Advice Consumer Expert Kate Hobson said: ‘People can appeal a parking ticket for a number of reasons.

‘These include if there was no way to pay for parking, their car broke down, or if they were only a few minutes late back to their vehicle.

Anyone who is unsure about a penalty charge notice can contact the consumer service, visit their local Citizens Advice, or go to the Citizens Advice website.

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