Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about traffic congestion near the complainant’s home. The complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. There is nothing to suggest fault by Transport for London.

The complaint

1. Miss B has complained there is constant traffic congestion on the roads around her home. She believes this is because of the way in which traffic lights have been programmed by Transport for London (TfL).

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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 effect on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start an investigation if the tests set out in our Assessment Code are not met. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Miss B and TfL. I have also considered our Assessment Code.

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Final decision

4. We will not investigate Miss B’s complaint because we are unlikely to find fault by TfL. It has explained the traffic lights are part of a complex system for managing the heavy traffic using the local area. It has checked the lights on many occasions in response to concerns raised by Miss X and found them to be working as intended. Given the location and traffic volumes, some congestion and delays are inevitable but this is not as a result of fault by TfL.

Investigator’s decision on behalf of the Ombudsman

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman