To ask Londoners about the (seemingly sneaky) changes in TfL’s congestion charge?

[Piglet89]

We drove to visit friends on other side of London on Saturday 18 July. Today, we received an £80 penalty notice - because the days when Congestion charge is payable apparently changed on 22 June from just weekdays to include weekends.

tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2020/june/temporary-changes-to-the-congestion-charge-to-secure-safe-recovery

Seems this was really poorly publicised; I have an account with TfL and receive regular email travel updates from them: but nothing about this. We had no idea at all.

Anyone else suffered a similar misfortune? Strikes me as an incredibly easy way to shaft people out of cash, particularly if poorly publicised and, unlike Dartford Tunnel fee, you don’t get a chance to pay the charge within 24 hours or whatever.

We went into London to visit friends with our hybrid recently and didn't know about the weekend congestion charge, but luckily I checked online on the way and paid in time. I am an avid newsreader, I had not heard about it online. Our trip should have been free due to the hybrid but as we were not registered, we had to pay. Most people I know who live in London are registered so the amounts are just taken out of their account automatically if they enter the congestion zone during applicable hours. However, we have been caught out by other fines recently. Entering a yellow box for literally seconds while in London and being fined 60 pounds. I also parked for 2 minutes in Bromley on a deserted street to drop a child at tennis camp and was fined 55 pounds - I appealed to no avail (hadn't seen the no parking 8-10am which is just there to stop commuters park and the traffic warden fined all the local mums whose kids had not had any structured exercise in months, it is quite unfair). Everyone appealed, Bromley Council had all this stuff online about helping people during the Coronavirus and no fines. Actually, the traffic wardens are all over now cashing in where they can, including near my local hospital in Beckenham. All the London councils and TFL are definitely out to get any money they can from you. From my experience, if you just appeal the first stage you do not get anywhere. I don't know what happens at the next stage. I think the people working on first stage appeals are trained to say no in most cases. So you really need to have a good reason and be up for a fight/extra hassle.

Dh got caught the other weekend. He got a letter saying he had driven in CC, but because it was a recent change they would not fine him, didnt even he say he had to pay original charge. Just dont do it again

What are you on about it was all over the news- along with them wanting to remove free kids travel and freedom pass changes.

Anyway first Dartford tunnel charge after it went online, if you didn’t do it and got a fine if you contested it they let you off. Worth a shot here too

I knew about it and I live in the Midlands and visit London via train only. Sorry OP, I very much doubt you'll succeed on appeal with this one.

Well, I mean, I wouldn’t appeal on grounds of ignorance of the rules because that isn’t a ground of appeal.

I live nowhere near London and definitely saw it advertised.

I live within the congestion zone, we have a car (although I don't tend to drive it) I read the paper plenty, get TFL alerts... and didn't know it had changed.

So, I don't think it was well publicised and think is very harsh to get a penalty.

I also think it is excessive and hope it is scrapped/is genuinely temporary. I think may make traffic worse as all the e.g. tradesmen we have ever used, used to make sure they travelled outside of congestion charge times. Now they are too extreme, so what would be the point.

I knew about it and I don't receive any emails.

Well, I mean, I wouldn’t appeal on grounds of ignorance of the rules because that isn’t a ground of appeal why not, worked for 3 people I know with the dart charge. If you appeal and you loose you still have to pay so why not?!

If you appeal and you loose you still have to pay so why not?!

If she doesn't pay within 14 days it goes up to £160.

I’ve disputed it too

I have a card registered with them by hadn’t changed my car details

I get a statement every month but no email informing me of the changes

Called but of course no answer

Very pissed off I rarely drive through London in the week or weekend it was a Sunday evening

Does it go up? I thought it was X amount of days to pay the lower fare or challenge it. If you loose is it the higher or lower rate? (Always record delivery any appeals)

It should freeze when you appeal

I sent a picture of all the emails I receive and my yearly charge no one emails mentions the change habit looked online other reported the same

And it was a Sunday evening after 9pm so way after the usual time and at the weekend

Well publicised. We knew all about it despite not getting email updates

It was everywhere at the time as part of the TFL bailout - it was a condition forced on them by the government. It was probably the best publicised of all the changes (better than removal of free transport for kids, etc).

Very poorly advertised. I live in the zone and we’ve had nothing so couldn’t warn visitors etc. Luckily my neighbour heard about it and sent an email to the whole residents’ association. It affects us really badly - no one can visit us or make ad hoc deliveries here or visit a church or synagogue Etc in the zone.

It definitely freezes while they consider your appeal. You then get another 2 weeks to pay from the date they reject the appeal. If they reject it.

I have appealed in the past for any old reason just to give me extra few weeks to find the money to pay

You have nothing to lose. I would appeal, after all they have been giving out warnings rather than fines to other people.

Don’t be embarrassed about not having the money to pay

If they reject my appeal I shall ask to pay in two instalments despite working flat out I am absolutely broke

It's disgusting and shameful..
Khan needs to disappear from London or any politics.

I stand corrected - I think

It's not very clear from the info provided.

They say repeatedly that the penalty charge is £160 and that the £80 charge is a 50% discount for paying within 14 days.

They say: When we receive your representation the PCN will be frozen at the relevant amount that is outstanding at that time. It will remain frozen until we have completed our investigation and written back to you with our reply

Which sounds promising, but then they also say: The PCN states the full penalty charge due - however, if you pay within 14 days of the date of service, you can pay the 50% discount sum stated on the PCN.

tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/penalties-and-enforcement/challenge-a-penalty-charge/make-a-representation

What is confusing is that the £80 is a discount and it's not clear if you are still entitled to this if you challenge it.

For those who have challenged one of these within 14 days and then lost - did you pay £80 or £160?

I live in London and I read about it on the BBC news app. I don't have a car, but I wanted to warn my parents as they're driving more often now (to avoid public transport).

It's disgusting and shameful..
Khan needs to disappear from London or any politics.

Flowers009 the raise was forced on him by central government, if you're going to blame someone at least blame the right people.

@Flowers009

It's disgusting and shameful.. Khan needs to disappear from London or any politics.

Yeah, it's the tories not Khan.

I had exactly the same. Signed up for TFL alerts etc. Knew nothing about it and fined £80.

I hate Sadiq Khan but this one was the Tories- the amount was down to Sadiq and I think he should have stood firm and consider him a crap negotiator, they would never have let TfL cease work.