I'm writing to Boris Johnson to ask him to intervene about a penalty charge notice of the congestion charge, I know he won't open the email himself but I don't want the email to be forwarded to TfL without being read by someone from his office first. I'm struggling for a subject line in case the just automatically forward it with out it being read as I'm complaining about TfL.
Here's the email too. I know I might get nowhere but I feel I should try as I think TfL are heartless tw4ts.
Dear Mr Johnson.
I am writing to ask for your help with a matter relating to Transport
for London. I have already contacted them but to no avail.
On 3rd June 2009 my son was transferred to the Evelina Children's
Hospital from the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, Kent as he had
had to be placed on a life support machine due to breathing
difficulties. I travelled with my son in the ambulance and my husband
followed by car, entering London before the charging period. When my
son was discharged we gave no thought to the congestion charge, having
eroniously been informed that it was payable on entry not exit.
When a penalty charge notice came through we were shocked and phoned
TfL. We were advised to put our appeal in writing, which we did. I have
found out today that this appeal has been rejected and we are being
asked for £60. I find it shocking that there appears to be no
compassion from those at TfL. In their rejection letter, they state
that there are many ways of finding out about the congestion charge and
then also for paying it. That's as may be, however when you are
returning home from what is, quite frankly, one of the most frightening
few days of your life, paying a congestion charge is not uppermost in
your mind.
I understand issuing penalties to those who have chosen to come into
London and then chosen not to pay, but we had no choice in the matter
and our son was very sick and was on a ventilator for life support.
I am asking for your help in having this penalty charge cancelled. The penalty charge notice number is **********
I understand that your time is very precious but we have only been
given a 14 day grace period from the date of our letter of rejection
which was 26th June 2009 (even though we only received the notice
today, 1st July 2009, which only actually gives me 10 days).
