Repeated crossings were upheld, but payment left no balance (2026)

Case 2250228770 / 2025-09-05 / Adjudicator Michael Burke

ROTHERHITHE TUNNEL APPROACH / BRANCH ROAD

“It follows that there is no balance to pay.”

Michael Burke

This reference was considered with several penalties for crossings between 5 and 17 March 2025. The vehicle's lessee said he continued using the tunnel until the leasing company first told him about a PCN on 18 March. He believed the lorry pictogram excluded vans and also criticised the signs' accessibility.

Michael Burke accepted TfL's plans and photographs as showing clear, adequate signage. The authority supplied evidence of a 2800 kg revenue weight. He found the contraventions proved and treated the explanations as mitigation. A dispute about how quickly the leasing company had notified the lessee was outside the adjudicator's jurisdiction.

The recorded outcome remained Appeal refused. Separately, TfL confirmed that it had received and accepted the reduced payment of £80 for each PCN in full and final settlement. There was therefore nothing left to pay. That financial position was not a successful appeal or an uncontested cancellation; it was settlement alongside an adverse adjudicated outcome.

Source and case reference

Use case reference 2250228770 in the London Tribunals register to find the official decision. This commentary distinguishes the adjudicator's finding from a possible argument in a different case; previous tribunal decisions do not bind another adjudicator.