Edgeware Road diversion ? congestion charge implications?

[KidKruger]

I tried to go up Edgeware Road and it is closed so you have to head a block or two east towards Oxford Street then take a left north and follow diversion signs, which seem to bring you up a mile or so further north onto the Edgeware Road.

All good. Until you think about congestion charge.

As far as I?m aware the corridor of Edgeware Road is a charge-free route North still.

But with the diversion, which was only slight, I wonder now if I?m going to be tapped for the charge.

Can?t see anything on the website, anybody know?

Ta KK

[mancity68]

I don't Im afraid - but the the northbound buses took a west bound diversion at Marble Arch weirdly. Not sure if they directed cars a different way?

[Sue]

I have twice contested (and won) a fine (or whatever it is) for going into a congestion zone area because I had no choice due to a diversion.

[KidKruger]

Interesting Sue thanks, I hope it doesn't come to having to do that, I was just using the Edgware corridor to go North.

Ideally, roadworks affecting the boundaries of / entry to CC area would be posted on their website with assurance those following diversions will not be penalised.

How did the process start for you ? Did you just receive the fine and then challenge it, or did you pay on the day then appeal it retrospectively ?

[Sue]

My two cases were both on that route, when the same road was blocked off (the slip road that leads onto the ?A40? just after Paddington). Somewhere near Bishop's Bridge Road??

I got the fine via a letter, and challenged it, both times.

In the first case, there was a diversion but the diversion signs weren't clear, plus I had no idea where to go (this was in the days before I had satnav on my phone). In trying to find another route, I strayed into the congestion zone.

In the second case, there was a sign up saying the road was blocked, and in trying to find another route I noticed that in fact the road wasn't blocked at all, as there was traffic on it.

So I doubled back, ignored the sign and just went up the road anyway, however again I had strayed into the congestion zone. If memory serves, somebody had just forgotten to take the sign down (DUH).

Anyway, in both cases I got the fine removed.

Now I have satnav, I don't go that way anymore :))

[KidKruger]

Thanks Sue, the website has nowt, no-one to call and ask (unless you pay premium rate, which I'm not prepared to do).

This experience reinforces the purpose of CC and ULEZ, it's not there to help either, it's just draipsing you of cash.

[Sue]

KidKruger Wrote:

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> Thanks Sue, the website has nowt, no-one to call

> and ask (unless you pay premium rate, which I'm

> not prepared to do).

> This experience reinforces the purpose of CC and

> ULEZ, it's not there to help either, it's just

> draipsing you of cash.

If it was me (which it isn't, obviously) I'd leave it until you get a fine (which I presume still comes by letter?), and then appeal, which was what I did both times.

Of course, with the present postal delays in East Dulwich, by the time you get it the fine might have multiplied a zillion fold ......

But it's possible as in your case there were clearly signposted diversions, you won't be fined at all.

[KidKruger]

Yeah that's what I'm doing Sue (having to do cos I can't get a conversation with anyone !). Thanks.

[KidKruger]

duplicate post

[KidKruger]

So the fines came a few days after my OP, two - for Congestion Charging (CC) and ULEZ. ?80 each.

There was an option to make a 'representation' as to why the fines should not be imposed.

Both rejected my separate representations which included a marked map of exactly where we drove, proof of where we were heading and the appointment we made that day, and explanation around the signs not being obvious to follow.

They said I could appeal.

I followed the appeals procedure and basically repeated what I had said in the representations, for both CC and ULEZ.

I also asked for a copy of their signage standards, evidence that they had adhered to their own standards for this particular diversion, an FOI request of PCNs issued by that camera on the day we were 'caught' for an hour before and after our 'offence', plus same PCN information for the prior 51 Saturdays (so I can see the comparison between PCNs during diversion and before diversion).

Couple of weeks later I received court dates (Nov) for both.

The FOI feedback showed a 10x increase in PCNs on the day I was 'caught' compared to your average / non-diversion Saturday during same period.

I have now received confirmation both of the PCNs will be dropped "because we do not enforce PCNs when a diversion was the cause of the alleged offence" (even though they both rejected my initial representation which had exactly same content as my appeal request).

One has to wonder how much additional money in total that camera, and other cameras in the same area of the CC zone, made for TfL.

I am now invoicing both CC and ULEZ for my time.

[Sue]

KidKruger Wrote:

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> I am now invoicing both CC and ULEZ for my time.

Good luck with that! 🤣

But well done for persisting, glad it had a happy outcome - financially for you, anyway 🙂