The Congestion Charge is Changing? The Follow-Up

I sent the email, and got an email reply.

14 March 2007
Dear Mr Lawbag

Central London Congestion Charging

Thank you for your email of 28 February 2007 regarding the recent Public Information (PI) campaign surrounding the changes to the Congestion Charging Scheme. As a Customer Liaison Officer for Congestion Charging this has been referred to me for a response. I am sorry you feel that the PI campaign was not effective.

As you are now aware, the purpose of the campaign was to inform members of the public about the new Western Extension which went live on 19 March 2007. A variety of marketing mediums were used to convey the message to ensure that as many people as possible were made aware of the changes. The information conveyed in the PI messages needed to be succinct as it was not possible due to various constraints to include every piece of information. Therefore a telephone number and website address were provided so that motorists could find out as much information as they wished.

However your feedback is appreciated and I will pass your comments on to our marketing department for consideration in future campaigns.

Yours sincerely
Emma Shann
Customer Liaison Officer Congestion Charging Transport for London
Tel: 02476 242 980 Email: emmashann@tfl.gov.uk
Ah ha, at least I got her email address...

Still it doesnt answer the question about leaving so many people confused.

w00hoo (86.136.243.26)

16th Mar, 2007 10:45 (local)

So, you got the "Thank you for contacting us but we did the right thing and nothing you say is going to change our view on that" reply. Pretty soon that'll be packaged as a template in Word I reckon.

Link | Reply | Thread | Delete | Spam | Screen | Freeze | Track This Select:

lawbag (86.132.104.20)

16th Mar, 2007 11:06 (local)

I would imagine they have a standard reply.

At least it as tailored to my question.

But it still didnt answer any of the questions I raised...

Link | Reply | Parent | Thread | Edit | Delete | Screen | Freeze | Track This Select:

Still No Email from Uncle Ken.

Come on you fucker, answer my email.

The Congestion Charge is Changing?

We have in the London area been bombarded by "cheap" advertising , i.e. the Radio telling us the Congestion Charge is changing. These are then back-up up by a series of Questions and Answers in which it is reinforced that the charge isnt changing at all. Its still the same price, you can still pay the next day, by phone or online.

So what the fuck is changing then? I know what is changing because I have made an effort to find out, but who ever is in charge of media or public information needs to be shot. They have completely failed to deliver the important message of what EXACTLY is changing.

Forcing people to ring a silly number or go online is futile.

But it all came to a head when driving home last Saturday with my wife in the passenger seat (mentioning the wife in 2 blogs - what is the world coming to), we saw a huge billboard sign in Dartford (just outside Greater London for all your Johnny Foreigners) advertising the new Congestion Charge and it gave my wife a heart attack.

"CONGESTION CHARGE COVERS THIS AREA", it proudly announced, with a tiny map of what I assume is the congestion charge in London. My wife instantly assumed the advert to be literal, That Congestion Charge Covers THIS Area, THIS Dartford.

Who the hell is in control of their wayward media relations, because it certainly is causing more confusion than ever before. Better they said nothing and apologise for not telling us, than confusing the Middle England we love so much.

Oh and if the Congestion Charge did come this way....who knows....

Im sending a sanitised version of the this complaint to the CCLondon people and see what response I get.