Congestion Charge - urgent- pls reply before

bikebarbie

... before is too late and I will be fined!!!

I am not sure whether I entered the congestion charge or not by a couple of minutes. I called TFL and they said that they cant tell me if I was in the congestion charge or not because they cant disclose that information over the phone !! :mad:

If I pay and I wasnt they say they wont be able to tell so they wont refund Im loosing my rag. It cant be right!

Is there any way to find out if I was in the congestion charge or Not?????

Please help!
thanks

bikebarbie

searching for a reply I came across this. Surely it cant be right?? I find it REALLY hard to believe...

http://chat.metro.co.uk/metro/threadnonInd.jsp?forum=81&thread=304413&message=942886

Is there anything we can do about the London Congestion Charge? It seems completely unfair...

I rarely drive in central London however today drove over Battersea bridge and wasn't sure if I'd entered it or not. So, being a thoughtful citizen of London I phoned the Transport For London congestion charge line and was advised the following:

* If you think you may have entered the congestion charge zone during the day, but are not sure, then you have to pay the charge otherwise face a fine of £120

* If you pay the charge but didn't actually enter the congestion charge zone, TFL will not refund you because their computer systems do not have the capability to do this (apparently)!

This is ludocrus and works completely against the citizens of London, as I'm sure most of ou readers and Boris Johnson would agree. Surely if TFL have the capability to issue fines to people who have entered the congestion charge zone they have the ability to refund those honest drivers who have made a payment but actually didn't enter the congestion zone?!

mark55man

being able to detect you in the zone, and being able to refund you money are different business processes so even if they knew you weren't in the zone, they might not be able to refund you.

really you are asking them to invest money in building something that would be rarely used, and cost them money. so you can see there reluctance.

I do agree its really unfair, so I am on your side, just explaining why it probably works like that. - and that's the situation you have to deal with

if I was you I think I would pay (cursing), because if you fully crossed the bridge I would guess you were more likely to be in the zone and £120 is a lot of money

Hintza

Not living in London these days I don't know. But if you think you did surely there is a map that will tell you once you retrace your steps?

bikebarbie

hi Mark really appreciate what you are saying. I m not sure about the location but about the time. I must be 1 min in our out! I have put my number plate on their website and nothing comes up which may be a hint as in the past as soon as I put the number plate in the date and time pops up.

Out of principle I cant believe, it seem absurd that they are allowed to carry out a government business and taking money on the presumption that you was within the zone when in actual fct you wasnt, and threat of getting fine. This is racket!

For me if every number plate is picked up by the camera/system then all they need to do is input that number plate in and job done! Surely it cant be much more complicated than that! Surely even if the police needs and requests that information I cant believe that they can put that wool over their eyes, they'll tell them in a couple of clicks.

On top of that how can it be that they wont refund?
If I pay then call up and say I paid by mistake then surely the honors should be on them that I owe them the money not on me???

I must put this on my list of thing to "Take on' If I Ever win the lottery!

bikebarbie

if anything let this thread be a WARNING and BRING AWARENESS about this issue to all the readers

KeithP

bikebarbie wrote: »

hi Mark really appreciate what you are saying. I m not sure about the location but about the time. I must be 1 min in our out! I have put my number plate on their website and nothing comes up which may be a hint as in the past as soon as I put the number plate in the date and time pops up.

Out of principle I cant believe, it seem absurd that they are allowed to carry out a government business and taking money on the presumption that you was within the zone when in actual fct you wasnt, and threat of getting fine. This is racket!

For me if every number plate is picked up by the camera/system then all they need to do is input that number plate in and job done! Surely it cant be much more complicated than that! Surely even if the police needs and requests that information I cant believe that they can put that wool over their eyes, they'll tell them in a couple of clicks.

On top of that how can it be that they wont refund?
If I pay then call up and say I paid by mistake then surely the honors should be on them that I owe them the money not on me???

I must put this on my list of thing to "Take on' If I Ever win the lottery!

When you win the lottery, buy an annual 'season ticket'.

geordieracer

Just wondering how difficult it is to see the BIG RED 'C' thats on the road then look at yoru clock on the dashboard. By doing this you can tell if your in there during the charging period or not.

ShaneUK

geordieracer wrote: »

Just wondering how difficult it is to see the BIG RED 'C' thats on the road then look at yoru clock on the dashboard. By doing this you can tell if your in there during the charging period or not.

Yes, but what if your clock is just out compared to that of tfl's. Say that "cut off" time is 6pm. You drive through, and on your clock, you make it 601pm, however, on the tfl computer system, they make it 559pm - you don't pay as on your clock is after, and there's is before. That is where I think the OP is coming from on this.

bikebarbie

geordieracer wrote: »

Just wondering how difficult it is to see the BIG RED 'C' thats on the road then look at yoru clock on the dashboard. By doing this you can tell if your in there during the charging period or not.

sorry shouldnt have too high expectations from all forum members, you simply fail to understand that the difficulty was not seeing a BIG RED 'C' but the TIMING ISSUE!
In addition I am making a point out of principle that if a drivers genuinely did not realize that they were in the zone at a particular time, do you really think is fair that we have no right to find out before we pay for something we dont owe!

read Shane's reply which he clarifies for me :T

Premier_2

bikebarbie - if you were on your , then there is no charge