TfL Ref: 0761-1920

Thank you for your request received by us on 12 and 18 July 2019 asking for information about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) and details of all traffic incidents resulting in police diversions into the Congestion Charging Zone reported to Transport for London (TfL) on 17 April 2019. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require. You asked for:

a copy of your written policy addressing procedures for the issue of PCNs in the event of traffic diversions into the CCZ at the instruction of the police.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations and our information access policy.  I can

In my initial reply of 24 July, I responded with the following information:

I can advise that we do not hold a written policy in specific reference to the above, However, for the purpose of considering the impacts of traffic incidents that may affect the operation of the Congestion Charge Zone and Ultra Low Emissions Zone camera system and issuing of PCNs, we consider and act on information from a number of sources but mainly from our Network Management Control Centre (NMCC). However, this may also extend to public enquiries through our website and information from the media. We assess if there is any impact to the schemes and then provide instructions to our service provider including details of the cameras and duration of impact so they can inhibit the use of those images for PCN production.

We also consider what if any public message is provided, such as guidance to our contact centre in dealing with enquiries about the operation of the schemes.

The Congestion Charge Scheme Order outlining how we should administer the scheme is available via the following link to our website: http://content.tfl.gov.uk/consolidated-scheme-order-january-2018.pdf

Please could you also provide details of all traffic incidents resulting in police diversions into the CCZ reported to TfL on April 17th, 2019. Please include the location, time and actions taken by TfL CCZ to avoid issuing PCNs to those following police instruction on that day

During the environmental protests that affected central London on 17 April 2019; I can advise that the Congestion Charging operational team did not rely upon any notifications from the police/emergency services nor from our Network Management Control Centre (NMCC), which monitors the road network 24 hours a day. This is because our operational team contacted the NMCC directly on a daily basis to clarify changes in the protest’s movements and what impacts this may have had on roads within the Congestion Charge/Ultra Low Emission Zone.

The updated information was used during the day to decide which of the Congestion Charge cameras remained in operation and those that were not used for image capture and PCN issue purposes. This mirrored the previous day’s approach and due to the locale and actions of the protestors we considered the impact. Consequently we determined the need to take action applied to all our boundary cameras clockwise from the Elephant and Castle to Portland Place and we provided the relevant instructions to our service provider for the Congestion Charge to that effect.

The attached list of incidents were recorded by the NMCC on the 17 April 2019. As previously mentioned, we did not rely upon any notifications from the NMCC from a Congestion Charge Operations perspective.

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

Jasmine Howard
FOI Case Officer
Information Governance
Transport For London

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