The trick is of course not to park where you shouldn't!
The most important thing (even more important than the traffic signs and road markings), is that the local authority have put in place a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) - this is what makes the restriction legally enforceable.
You could request a copy of the TRO for the length of road where you were parked - if the plans and/or the written description of the location, length and type of restriction don't match up to what's been put in the road then you really can rip your ticket up.