Can you believe it?

that is absolutely ridiculous, make you get them photo's

I get kinda nervous driving in London, I remember once I was on the way to Camden but went the long way round so didn't have to pay congestion charge... until I panicked got in the wrong lane and ended going right through the centre of London! Gutted lol

Must admit, something I try and avoid if possible! Other major cities, or other countries no worries (apart from maybe India!).

Although will confess to getting confused everytime I drive in the US and come across a cross roads with 4 stops signs (or whatever they call it over the pond). You never know who's supposed to go first! Normally end up either getting beeped at, or gingerly moving forward until it's obvious I haven't got right of way

Well this has just got better, on the original penalty charge notice, it states 'All representations against this penalty charge notice must be made in writing or by email' I sent them one via email, an auto response email arrives stating that Transport for London has received it and it may or may not reply and if it does it will be within 15 days. A month passes and a letter arrives saying that the PCN has now gone from

For sure you need to go into the email headers to get the tracking info for each email and take print outs of that with you to court.

Best case senario - you get to pay the original fine
Worse case senario - you get court fees added to your running tally

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For every minute you remain angry, you give
up sixty seconds of peace of mind.-- Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Barney, plse rethink! A court setting isn't the best place to sort out an administrative mess (as this situation is) and going to court will involve more trouble and expense for you than resolving the problem with the administrators.

Suggest the personal touch will work best. Collect up all the evidence you've got showing that you have replied to all the official emails, they haven't answered your emails to them and that you're a perfectly innocent victim (of their maladministration).

Then ring up Transport for London, explain to the switchboard operator you need to speak to someone with the clout to sort out this hassle (ask who that person might be and what their job title and department is, make a note of the information and only then allow the switchboard operator to put you through).

If they put you through to someone who doesn't answer the phone, go back to the switchboard operator immediately and get her / him to transfer you to someone with the right authority who will speak to you.

Make it clear in the friendliest way you will launch an official complaint if you're not put through to someone willing and able to help and you intend to go up the management chain as far as is necessary to sort out the problem. If you have to put on the pressure, ask what procedure you should follow to make your official complaint.

When you speak to whoever can help you, explain (nicely) why Transport for London has acted wrongly and how they haven't responded to any of the contacts you have made with them to try to sort out the problem.

Talk them through the history of what's happened and send them the emails which prove your case and prove how badly they've behaved to you. Put a read receipt request on the email and follow up if they don't get back to you when they say they will.

Make sure you get in writing from them an acknowledgement Transport for London should not have issued the fine in the first place and that they will put a stop on the fines and court case. Good luck! Linda

Sorry to hear about all your troubles, Barney. I hope that you get everything resolved and that at the very least you are feeling better.

I think we've past the point of no return now, besides I'm the least diplomatic person when dealing with bureaucratic nonsense. Sadly this country is now overun with these big brother organisations who are hell bent on making peoples lives a misery, what makes it worse is the general population putting up with it rather than challenging it.

No, you're not past the point of no return Barney. If you think about it, no court wants to waste its time hearing cases that should never have been brought - and every official connected with these cases knows that.

If you're not the right person to deal with the admin people, could you give the job to a trusted friend or family member who is? Someone used to working in customer services, credit control, a legal practice or similar might be a good bet.

You couldnt have made this up

Hope it all gets sorted.