Well I get at least two tickets a month in SOuthend and Ive contested every single one for the last 6 months and got away without paying a single one. In fact its got to the stage nowadays where in my challenge letter I taunt them for their stupidity in issuing tickets that I can so easily avoid paying because of a technicality. Anyone can, its just most people dont bother or start to worry once theres talk of court appearances.
Anyway, if I were you I would write back and say that you require further evidence of the offence occuring as you have no record of it and due to the time elapsed between the supposed offence and your receipt of the NTO, you cannot recall being at the location stated and you believe that they have made a mistake. Ask if they have any timed and authenticated CCTV footage of your car or the stagement of a police officer as witness to the supposed offence. It is your right to find out about this so dont be put off. The way I look at it is its a win-win situation - in a weird sort of way - if you challenge and get away with it then you have won. If you challenge and still eventually end up having to pay, it will have taken at least another three months before you have to pay (if you exhaust every avenue of challenge you have), and during that time youre causing them hassle and costing them money having to put staff onto your case because you wont just pay up and shut up. So at least if you ever pay the ticket they wont have made a profit on it.
b******s!