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LTDA warns taxi drivers not to pay garage PCN transfer fees before checking their options
The Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) has advised drivers to verify penalty charge notices (PCNs) before paying a garage to transfer liability, saying the process may not be necessary if the notice can be challenged.
In an article by LTDA executive Paul Kirby, the association said some garages were charging between £25 and £40 to transfer liability for a PCN to a driver.
The transfer process involves providing the relevant council, or Transport for London (TfL), with the driver’s name and address at the time the PCN was issued. The authority then re-sends the notice to the driver.
Kirby said drivers should ensure any PCN is issued in their own name and address if they intend to challenge it. “Although anyone can pay a PCN, it needs to be in your name and address if the PCN is to be challenged,” he wrote.
Before paying a garage, member drivers can contact the LTDA with the PCN number and the vehicle registration. The association said it would check the notice and advise whether a challenge appeared possible, allowing the driver to decide whether to pay the reduced charge or contest it.
The guidance comes as the LTDA reports that some garages are charging drivers for the administrative step of transferring a PCN. The association’s advice is to check the notice first and understand the options before paying that fee.
