Could you please provide the following information about the London congestion charge (central and western where relevant) year by year from the start (financial years) and bus lane enforcement Congestion charge 1. The number of paid entries 2. The number PCNs issued for failure to pay the charge 3. No of PCNs issued for any other reason 4. Number paid at the lower discounted rate 5. Number paid at the full rate 6. Income from motorists paying the charge 7. Income from PCNs Bus lanes 8. The number of bus lane enforcement PCNs issued 9. Number paid at the lower discounted rate 10. Number paid at the full rate 11 The number of staff normally employed on viewing the bus lane enforcement cameras. Thank you

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Our Ref:         FOI-1497-1718

Thank you for your request received on 15 September 2017 asking for information about Congestion Charging and bus lane enforcement.

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

Could you please provide the following information about the London congestion charge (central and western where relevant) year by year from the start (financial years) and bus lane enforcement

TfL is responsible for the operation of the Congestion Charging zone and for the enforcement of red route traffic contraventions, which includes bus lane contraventions. The Central London Congestion Charging Scheme was first implemented in February 2003. The original central zone was extended westward in February 2007, as part of a scheme called the Western Extension Zone (WEZ). Following a public consultation, the western extension was removed in December 2010 and the zone reverted back to the original central zone. We did not record, and therefore do not hold, separate information about the central and western zones because, while the WEZ was in place, the scheme operated as a single zone with a single daily charge. Payment of the daily charge entitled drivers to a full days’ use of the whole of the extended zone.

Information about income and expenditure is published in our Annual Reports and Statements of Accounts, which are available on our website:

https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/annual-report.

As explained in the Annual Report, the standard daily congestion charge, including those paying through Auto Pay, is recognised as income on the day the eligible vehicle enters the Congestion Charge area. Income from penalty charge notices (PCNs) is recognised, net of a provision for cancellation, as payment becomes due. Each increase in charge results in income being recognised in full at the date the increase is applied. All of our income is incorporated into the wider TfL budget and reinvested into ongoing improvements to London’s transport infrastructure, in line with the Mayor’s Transport Strategy.

Owners of vehicles used within the Congestion Charging zone are required to pay the relevant daily charge for their vehicle by midnight on the next charging day. We refer to these daily charge payments as charge income. Owners who do not pay the daily charge risk incurring a PCN for non-payment. We refer to these PCN payments as enforcement income. Since its inception, the Congestion Charge has been operated by an outsourced Service Provider under contract to TfL. On 1 November 2009, we moved to a new Service Provider. Due to system issues, we are unable to report on the number of daily charges purchased between that date and 31 March 2010. It should be noted however that this was a reporting issue only. All charges purchased were correctly assigned to the relevant vehicle within the individual vehicle’s records and were correctly recognised as charge income within TfL’s accounts.

Congestion charge

1. The number of paid entries

Please refer to the table below. For the reasons explained above, we do not hold information about the number of charges paid between 1 November 2009 and 31 March 2010.

2. The number PCNs issued for failure to pay the charge

Please refer to the table below.

3. No of PCNs issued for any other reason

We only issue Congestion Charging PCNs for non-payment of the daily charge. We do not issue Congestion Charging PCNs for any other reason.

4. Number paid at the lower discounted rate

The payment received in respect of each PCN is held within the individual PCN record, however we are unable to report on the number of PCNs issued since the start of the scheme that have been paid at the discounted rate. As explained above, income from PCNs is recognised as payment becomes due, net of a provision for cancellation.

5. Number paid at the full rate

Please refer to our response to Q4 above.

6. Income from motorists paying the charge

Please refer to the table below.

7. Income from PCNs

Please refer to the table below.

Bus lanes

8. The number of bus lane enforcement PCNs issued

This information is published annually by the London Councils and is available on their website:

http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/parking-services/parking-and-traffic/parking-information-professionals/information

In accordance with section 21 of the FOI Act, TfL is not obliged to supply you with a copy of the requested information as it is already accessible to you elsewhere. We have been advised by London Councils that the information for 2016/17 will be published in the near future.

9. Number paid at the lower discounted rate

Please refer to our response to Q4 above.

10. Number paid at the full rate

Please refer to our response to Q4 above.

11. The number of staff normally employed on viewing the bus lane enforcement cameras.

As explained above, we issue PCNs for a number of red route traffic contraventions, which includes bus lanes contraventions. We do not have a team of officers dedicated to bus lane enforcement because all of our camera officers are fully trained to enforce all red route contraventions.

FOI-1497-1718 Congestion Charging daily charges purchased and penalty charges issued from 17 February 2003 to 31 March 2017
     
Financial Year Ending Total Valid Charges Purchased Gross Charge Income £m Total PCNs Issued Gross Enforcement Income £m Notes
31 March 2003 3,161,605  - 17.5  122,270  - 1.0  Congestion Charge introduced on 17/02/2003
31 March 2004 27,403,610  - 115.6  1,639,705  - 71.1  
31 March 2005 26,593,934  - 116.7  1,652,032  - 101.4  
31 March 2006 24,385,993  - 144.6  1,333,861  - 109.5  
31 March 2007 26,170,494  - 157.5  1,157,240  - 94.9  Western Extension introduced on 19/02/2007
31 March 2008 38,891,083  - 194.4  1,560,963  - 133.8  
31 March 2009 37,401,424  - 188.8  1,431,879  - 136.9  
31 March 2010 *21,157,817  - 180.8  1,418,043  - 131.8  
31 March 2011 28,720,139  - 172.3  1,203,657  - 114.2  Western Extension removed on 24/12/2010
31 March 2012 16,207,457  - 152.1  768,806  - 74.6  
31 March 2013 16,628,674  - 145.0  720,701  - 77.0  
31 March 2014 17,249,810  - 151.0  819,880  - 83.6  
31 March 2015 17,000,636  - 169.9  864,183  - 87.5  
31 March 2016 16,132,118  - 167.4  897,137  - 91.0  
31 March 2017 15,336,717  - 160.8  949,513  - 88.8  
* Includes charges purchased from 1 April - 31 October 2009 only   
   
Please note that all income is recorded as negative because this is a credit and is standard accounting practice.

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please feel free to contact me.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely

Gemma Jacob
FOI Case Officer
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London

[email protected]

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