Transport for London (25 017 706)
Category : Transport and highways > Traffic management
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 27 Feb 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Transport for London’s failure to provide its auto-pay records from July 2024. This is because the issue does not cause Ms X significant injustice, and it is unlikely we could achieve the outcome Ms X wants.
The complaint
- Ms X complains Transport for London (TfL) has failed to provide details and evidence of four trips into the ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) in July 2024. She says she drives in the ULEZ for work but was not working in July 2024, so she is curious as to where in the ULEZ she drove on the relevant dates.
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 effect 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 an investigation if we decide the tests set out in our Assessment Code are not met. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by Ms X and TfL.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- We do not investigate all the complaints we receive. In deciding whether to investigate we need to consider various tests. These include the alleged injustice to the person complaining and whether we can achieve any meaningful outcome for them. We only investigate the most serious complaints.
- It is not a good use of resources to investigate this complaint simply to confirm where Ms X drove on four occasions in July 2024, which she says is all she wants from her complaint. The amount of these charges was only £50 and this is not a significant amount. In any event, TfL confirms it no longer holds this information in accordance with the terms and conditions of its ‘auto-pay’ service so it is unlikely we could achieve the outcome Ms X wants.
Final decision
- We will not investigate this complaint. This is because the issue Ms X complains about does not cause her significant injustice, and it is unlikely we could achieve the outcome she wants.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman