Request ID: FOI-1542-2324 Date published: 07 September 2023
You asked
I am writing under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to ask about the number of PCNs issued as a result of Ulez breaches that have been overturned.
I would like this data from the start of the scheme in 2019, broken down by month, until the date this request is received.
I would also request any internal communications about the reasons for PCNs being overturned in the same time period.
We answered
Our Ref: FOI-1542-2324
Thank you for your request received on 11 August 2023 asking for information about cancelled Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) penalty charge notices (PCNs).
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and our information access policy. I can confirm we do hold the information you require.
Unfortunately, to provide the information you have requested would exceed the ‘appropriate limit’ of £450 set by the Freedom of Information (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004.
Under section 12 of the FOI Act, we are not obliged to comply with a request if we estimate that the cost of determining whether we hold the information, locating and retrieving it and extracting it from other information would exceed the appropriate limit. This is calculated at £25 per hour for every hour spent on the activities described.
We have estimated that it would cost over £450 to provide a response to your current request. This is because it is estimated that it would take in excess of 18 working hours to retrieve and compile the information you have requested.
The request for internal communications about the reasons for PCNs being overturned alone exceeds the appropriate limit as there is likely to be several thousands pieces of correspondence that would need to be reviewed in order to extract and collate anything that is relevant to your request.
To help bring the cost of responding to your request within the £450 limit, you may wish to consider narrowing its scope so that we can more easily locate, retrieve and extract the information you are seeking. For example, by removing the request for internal communications.
If you want to refine your request or make a Freedom of Information Act request in future, please bear in mind that the FOI Act allows you to request recorded information held by us. You should identify the information that you want as clearly and concisely as you can, specifying the types of document that you are looking for. By their nature, emails contain a significant amount of personal data such as phone numbers and email addresses and so, whilst this process of redaction does not feature as part of our considerations on whether the cost limit might apply, the burden created by non-specific requests for emails is significant and this should be borne in mind before submitting requests of this nature.
Although your request can take the form of a question, rather than a request for specific documents, we do not have to answer your question if it would require the creation of new information or the provision of a judgement, explanation, advice or opinion that was not already recorded at the time of your request.
Please note that we will not be taking further action until we receive your revised request.
In the meantime, if you have any queries or would like to discuss your request, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
Gemma Jacob Senior FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
