Congestion Charge Penalty

arroyocorrales

I received a Penalty charge for driving in the zone - a road I have never heard of or driven up. The small black and white photo copy of the registration shows my number and I can see it's the same make of car.

To cut a long story short - was filming in Surrey Quays, I was signed out at 2.00pm, went to the loo, sat in the car with air con on to cool off for 5-6 minutes as it was so hot, queued up at traffic lights to get out of Deal Porters Way, so it was approximately 2.10 when I left, drove slowly to make sure I got on Hawkstone Road, stopped checked A-Z, found I was on the right road, then to Rotherhithe New Road, Old Kent Road, Bricklayer's Arms, kept left to Elephant and then to Vauxhall and crossed bridge.

I apparently entered the zone at 2.17pm - which would have given me 7 minutes to drive into zone at Bermondsey Street - which I didn't do. Even if I'd left on the dot at 2.00pm I doubt I could have got there in 17 minutes.

My only evidence is my time sheet.

I can't think how I was meant to be in the zone. I didn't go anywhere near Bermondsey Street. I left Surrey Quays going down Old Kent Road to Bricklayer's Arms, kept left and followed signs to the Elephant and then on to Vauxhall where I crossed the Bridge.

To have gone into Bermondsey Street in completely the wrong direction, I would have had to make a mistake at Bricklayer's Arms, which I didn't. If I'd have gone wrong why didn't I just go around Bricklayer's to get back and on to Elephant? If I'd made a mistake why would I continue up Tower Bridge Road and then turn off at Bermondsey Street, where I would have had to turn right on Tooley Street (one way I think), then presumably go back down Tower Brige Road to Bricklayers. Why not go over Tower Bridge? Of course if I had entered the zone by mistake I would have paid the charge but I didn't enter it.

The very bad tiny photocopy 2" x 1" does not show the colour of the car. I have made a representation and included my time sheet. I am hoping that they can provide a better copy perhaps showing more of the car.

Can mistakes be made by these cameras?

Has anyone driven from Surrey Quays to Bermondsey Street, via Old Kent Road and is it possible to get there in 7 minutes?

This is driving me nuts knowing I never drove down this street!

Coupon-mad

The info on the cameras can certainly be interpreted incorrectly, and cars can also be cloned, and operators could be mistaken about the street.

I see you have posted on pepipoo here...

...which is going to be your best chance to get advice to get you off this PCN. Your first step is to go and see the actual footage they have and take notes for your appeal, look closely at the vehicle and the road they purport that it was seen on. Was it your car, was it in the street the PCN says it was?

Even if the footage looks clear, you can still appeal, there are usually some grounds.

Pepipoo will help you if you can show them a pic of the PCN and any other paperwork you receive; all pages of everything, just blank out your ID and car reg & PCN nunber. Leave all small print and dates/times visible.

You may like to show the PCN and paperwork here and keep us updated as well but your best advice will come from pepipoo. Good luck.

arroyocorrales

I sent off my statement by registered post and included the hard copy of my time sheet, keeping myself a copy. Thought I'd send the original in case they wrote back and said they needed the original.

Do you know what happens now? You say to go and see the footage - do they provide an address to go to or do they send something through the post?

In their photos does it show the whole car and colour? And what angle is the photo taken at. I ask because I have something very distinctive on the back shelf of my car and if I can see a really good image it might show a couple of scratches on side of front bumper. I don't suppose for one minute it shows the driver?

If I wasn't there how did a camera get me?

I've been trying to work out on AA route planner the time it would take to leave Surrey Quays and supposedly get to Bermondsey Street. Unfortunately it won't let me input the route I went and keeps showing, presumably the shortest route via Southwark Park Road, I can't input Rotherhithe New Road and then Old Kent Road to Bricklayers. I wish I could find out the driving time going the way I did. Any suggestions? Apart from me timing the journey myself which is a mission as I live near Windsor.

Coupon-mad

The PCN should tell you how to see the footage I think.

arroyocorrales

Phoned them up yesterday to see how long it takes. Asked what colour the car was and they told me it was green - like mine unfortunately. I also asked if I could see more evidence and they have sent me some forms to fill in and it will cost £10 to get some photos.

It's a strange feeling getting a PCN for being in the zone, when you know you weren't. Just wish someone could explain how my car got filmed when I was not there.

arroyocorrales

Now I feel like a right !!!!!!. It wasn't until my husband asked if I was sure I went back home the same way I came. Then it came to me in a flash. Remember taking a right turn Raymouth Road by a railway bridge signposted Elephant & Castle. Then I realised I didn't go up Old Kent Road at all and it wasn't until I "Street Viewed" on Google that I must have gone down Southwark Park Road, Grange Road and turned left at Tower Bridge Road to take me to Bricklayer's Arms. So despite me being so emphatic, and not actually knowing the road I was driving down (felt confident enough that it was taking me to Bricklayer's and Elephant, I was near Bermondsey Street but definitely did not cross Tower Bridge Road to get into it. Perhaps there is a possibility that camera caught me at junction of Grange Road and Tower Bridge Road turning left. Can that happen?