London Borough of Brent (25 021 669)
Category : Transport and highways > Parking and other penalties
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 19 Mar 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a Penalty Charge Notice for a bus lane contravention. This is because this complaint is late and there are no good reasons why it could not have been made sooner.
The complaint
- Mrs X complains about how the Council handled a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) for a bus lane contravention. Mrs X says, in May 2024, she made formal representations against the PCN to the Council, but it failed to respond within 56 days. Mrs X says this means the Council should cancel the PCN and refund the £65 paid.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
- We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a council has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- The Council issued Mrs X a PCN for a bus lane contravention in February 2024.
- After the Council rejected Mrs X’s informal representations in May, Mrs X asked the Council to review its decision. Mrs X subsequently paid the PCN at the discounted rate before the Council responded, which cancelled the PCN. She believes the Council should have cancelled the PCN as it took longer than 56 days to consider her representations; this point relates to Regulations which apply to the civil enforcement of parking contraventions and it is therefore not directly relevant in this case.
- So far as Mrs X complains about the Council’s handling of her formal representations, this complaint is late. Mrs X first complained to the Ombudsman about this matter in December 2025, meaning we would not usually look at events before December 2024. I have seen no good reasons to exercise discretion. Mrs X could have complained to us much sooner. So, we will not investigate.
Final decision
- We will not investigate this complaint about a Penalty Charge Notice for a bus lane contravention. This is because this complaint is late and there are no good reasons why it could not have been made sooner.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman