Transport for London (24 011 216)
Category : Transport and highways > Parking and other penalties
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 20 Oct 2024
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about Transport for London’s refusal to accept his request for a payment plan for more than 20 penalty charge notices. This is because Transport for London has agreed to accept payment at a much lower rate than Mr X is liable for and has placed the matter on hold until the end of the year. We could not achieve anything more for Mr X.
The complaint
- The complainant, Mr X, complains Transport for London (TfL) rejected his request for a payment plan for more than 20 penalty charge notices (PCNs) he incurred for non-payment of the ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) charge and did not put the cases on hold while it considered his appeal against the rejection.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse effect on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start an investigation if we decide the tests set out in our Assessment Code are not met. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by Mr X and the Authority.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- TfL issued Mr X multiple PCNs for driving in the ULEZ without paying the charge. Mr X did not pay the PCNs or appeal so TfL escalated the cases and passed them to enforcement agents (bailiffs) to recover payment.
- Mr X says he asked for an affordable payment plan to clear the debt as he wants to pay but cannot afford to do so.
- Since Mr X lodged his complaint with the Ombudsman TfL has responded to his complaint and agreed to accept payment for each of the PCNs at the original ULEZ charging rate of £12.50. It has also agreed to place the PCNs on hold until 31 December 2024 to give him an opportunity to pay.
- TfL’s offer significantly reduces the amount Mr X is liable to pay and far exceeds any outcome we could achieve for him. We will not therefore investigate the matter further.
Final decision
- We will not investigate this complaint. This is because we could not achieve anything more for Mr X.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman