Hi-tech helps pay penalty charge

Many people do not realise they are in the charge zone

Help is at hand for drivers who only know when they have entered London's congestion charging zone after a penalty notice lands on their doormat.

Research suggests that up to 4,500 people a day are fined for not paying the congestion charge when they drive through central London.

After being caught out himself, inventor Matthew McCluskey, has created a gadget that keeps an eye on a vehicle's location.

When it spots that a driver is about to enter the congestion zone it automatically triggers a payment.

Cost cutting

The idea for the gadget, dubbed the KenBuster, was born 18 months ago, when Mr McCluskey returned from holiday to find a large fine waiting for him.

"I had driven to the airport, and of course because I was looking forward to my holiday, I was so excited, that I forgot to pay the charge," he told the BBC News website. "I realised quite quickly that there had to be a simpler way of doing this."

The KenBuster uses a GPS unit to track the car's location and then uses GPRS mobile phone technology to despatch payment details.

The gadget, registered to a specific vehicle, is a small box about the size of a mobile phone that is charged by being plugged into a car's cigarette lighter socket.

The KenBuster is the size of a mobile phone

Mr McCluskey said he hoped it would make life easier for drivers.

"There is definitely a hassle free factor to it," he said. "It is quite clear that people find it a pain to pay over the internet or go into a shop."

According to information from 2005/6 accounts, Transport For London (TFL), which administers the congestion charging scheme, made a total revenue of £210m. Of that total, £65m, came from congestion charge fines.

Approximately 4,500 people are fined per day - roughly 6% of those who drive in the congestion zone.

Penalties for not paying the charge can be high. The basic penalty fee is £100 but this is reduced to £50 if it is paid within two weeks of being issued. The penalty increases to £150 if it is not paid by 28 days after the notice was first issued.

Persistent non-payers risk having their vehicle clamped or confiscated.