Legality of parking fines. - tag1_uk
I just received a fixed penalty notice today for parking in a marked bay on a street without buying a parking ticket. The problem is that I've parked in the same spot for months (never before getting a fine) and despite searching have never been able to find a ticket dispenser although there are signs on the pavement advising that it is pay and display. I wondered if there were any rules on how close to a parking bay a ticket dispenser would have to be inorder for the parking charge to be inforceable? I feel quite agreived at getting a fine when I would have brought a ticket if a machine was available. Is it possible that an entire long street could have enforceable pay and display charges but a single ticket dispenser at one end - to me that seems unreasonable.
Legality of parking fines. - Bromptonaut

If you knowingly parked in a pay and disply area without paying you are on a sticky wicket. Can't find any guidance on location of P&D machines, but that does not mean none exists. Have you tried phoning the Council (which one) or looking at it's website to at least establish wher the machine is. Some in Milton Keynes for example use scratchcards availalble from the Council Parking Shop.

My first question would be have you received a fixed penalty notice from a copper or traffic warden or a Penalty Charge Notice from a Council attendant?. In the event of the former I would just give up and pay up. It really is not worth a day out at the Magistrates Court. In the latter event you could try an appeal. In London these are to the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service www.parkingandtrafficappeals.gov.uk. Outside London its the National Parking Adjudication Service, their site at www.parking-appeals.gov.uk will tell you whether they cover your Council or not. Not sure about Scotland, they have a different system there.
Legality of parking fines. - pdc {P}
There is a guy here tinyurl.com/uzj5 who received a £30 fine for displaying a valid ticket upside down.