Transport for London (25 020 230)
Category : Transport and highways > Parking and other penalties
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 07 Apr 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a Penalty Charge Notice because there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation and further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
The complaint
- Mr Y complained the Authority (TfL) wrongly issued a Penalty Charge Notice against him for driving in the Dartford Tunnel in accordance with a diversion and entering the Ultra Low Emission Zone without payment.
- Mr Y says he requested a payment plan to spread the cost, but this was refused, causing him worry and financial uncertainty.
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 impact 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 or continue an investigation if we decide further investigation would not lead to a different outcome, or there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.
(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information Mr Y and TfL and the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- TfL issued a PCN to Mr Y in December 2025. Mr Y approached us shortly after the PCN was issued to complain and made representations to TfL against the PCN. TfL later cancelled the PCN later in December 2025. It says that it wrote to Mr Y at the time to confirm this, but has agreed to write to him again to confirm that the PCN he contacted us about has been cancelled.
- As the PCN has been cancelled and no penalty charge is owed, it is unlikely further consideration of this complaint would lead to a different outcome and so there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation. We will not investigate.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr Y’s complaint because there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation and further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman