Transport for London (25 014 278)
Category : Transport and highways > Traffic management
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 22 Dec 2025
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about Penalty Charges Notices. This is because the complainant has already appealed to the tribunal.
The complaint
- Mr X complains about five Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) that were issued to him because his vehicle was not registered on the Daily Congestion Charge Auto Pay system.
- He would like Transport for London to revert the charges of the Notices to the discount rate and refund him the excess amount.
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 a complaint if someone has appealed to a tribunal about the same matter. We also cannot investigate a complaint if in doing so we would overlap with the role of a tribunal to decide something which has been or could have been referred to it to resolve using its own powers. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(6)(a), as amended)
- London Tribunals considers parking and moving traffic offence appeals for London.
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by Mr X and the Authority.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Transport for London issued five PCNs to Mr X because his car was not correctly registered on the Congestion Charge AutoPay system.
- Mr X appealed to the London Tribunals and thereafter paid the charges.
- We therefore cannot investigate this complaint because he has already appealed to the London Tribunals. I also note that Transport for London has agreed to retain £15.00 per PCN and refund Mr X the excess as a gesture of goodwill.
Final decision
- We will not investigate this complaint because Mr X has already appealed to the London Tribunals.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman