Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about a penalty charge notice. Transport for London has cancelled the penalty and therefore there is no worthwhile outcome from our investigation.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains about penalty charge notices (PCN) he received for crossing a tunnel. He says he is registered with Transport for London’s (TfL) autopay system and therefore the payment for crossing the tunnel should have been processed automatically. He wants TfL to review and cancel the PCNs.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. 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:

• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement, or
• there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Mr X and TfL.
4. I also considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Since Mr X complained to us, TfL has cancelled the PCNs and refunded any money paid.
6. As TfL has now cancelled the PCNs, there is therefore no worthwhile outcome from our investigation.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is no worthwhile outcome from our investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman