FOI request detail

Number of Warrants of Control

Request ID: FOI-0091-1920
Date published: 07 May 2019

You asked

I am conducting some market research and would like to understand the proportion of PCNs for the congestion charge that end up with baliffs. Can you confirm - 1) The total number of PCNs issued in the last 12 months 2) The total number of Warrants of Control passed to your enforcement agents in the past 12 months (if possible could you break this out by enforcement agent) 3) The recovery rate for debts that reach the Warrant of Control stage

We answered

TfL Ref: 0091-1920

Thank you for your email received by us on 9 April 2019 asking for information about the Congestion Charge.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.  I can confirm that we hold the information you require.

We are committed to keeping the capital moving and by enforcing the Congestion Charge we help reduce traffic and congestion in central London. All revenue generated by enforcement activity is reinvested in maintaining and improving the transport network.

TfL adopts a fair and transparent approach to traffic enforcement and motorists are encouraged to follow the guidance issued with every penalty charge notice (PCN) and contact TfL if they would like to challenge a PCN, so that it can be reviewed. If we decide not to cancel the PCN, motorists have the option to make an appeal to the London Tribunals service: https://www.londontribunals.gov.uk/

Your questions and our replies are as follows:

Can you confirm  

  1. The total number of PCNs issued in the last 12 months

Drivers who do not pay the daily Congestion Charge are issued with a penalty charge notice (PCN) for non-payment. Information about the number of PCNs issued per quarter is published in our Congestion Charge and Low Emission Zone (LEZ) factsheets, which are available in the Finance, Operations and Performance section of our website: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/congestion-charge.

In accordance with section 21 of the FOI Act, we are not obliged to supply you with a copy of the requested information as it is already accessible to you elsewhere.

2) The total number of Warrants of Control passed to your enforcement agents in the past 12 months (if possible could you break this out by enforcement agent), and

3) The recovery rate for debts that reach the Warrant of Control stage

The below table shows how many PCNs were exported to each of our four contracted Enforcement Agencies between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2019 and the percentage paid to each agency.

Please note, these figures include warrants which may have later been withdrawn.

Enforcement Agency

Issued Volume

% Paid

JBW Group

82,230

20.2%

Marston Group Ltd

65,535

17.0%

TASK Enforcement Ltd

60,101

17.0%

Equita Ltd

47,320

16.6%

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.

Yours sincerely

Sara Thomas

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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