Charges sent to 'wrong' car owner

Mr Hayes does not even own the car any more

A Kent man has said he has been left to pay for six unpaid congestion charges despite not owning the car at the time.

Anthony Hayes, of Rochester, has been left with a bill of £1,226 and the threat of bailiffs paying him a visit.

Five of the fines were from 2003, with one in February 2004 - despite Mr Hayes saying he bought the car a month later.

Mr Hayes is now calling for Transport for London (TfL) to change its administration methods. TfL said it could not comment on individual cases.

'Wrong question'

Mr Hayes said: "They (TfL) told me they only check who the owner of the vehicle is when they ring up (the DVLA).

"They don't ask who the owner was at the time of the penalty charge notices.

"So really they are asking the wrong question to the DVLA."

A Transport for London spokesman said that it could not comment on individual cases.

He advised that if a driver believed they had received a penalty charge notice unfairly then they should make a formal written representation.

If supporting evidence is provided, the spokesman said, the enforcement process will not continue.

Mr Hayes said he does not even own the car any more - having sold it in October 2004.

The National Alliance Against Tolls said Mr Hayes' case was the tip of the iceberg.

"There are about 1.400 people a day who make representations because they believe they have mistakenly been issued with a penalty notice," said a spokesman.

"The London Toll should be scrapped or at the very least not extended."