I was fined £589 after clicking wrong button when paying £12.50 ULEZ charge… don’t make the same mistake

A DAD has claimed helium was fined £589 for making a elemental mistake erstwhile trying to wage the hated £12.50 ULEZ charge.

The unfortunate motorist has allegedly been hounded by debt collectors implicit a "little admin error".

Steven Bortone says helium was slapped with a punishment announcement aft driving into the ULEZ country portion volunteering astatine a nine successful South London.

Under the rules, anyone driving wrong greater London has to cough up £12.50 a time if their car does not conscionable strict emissions standards.

Mr Bortone, 40, was adamant that helium had paid but received an archetypal £180 good wrong a week of his visit.

Baffled, helium checked his slope relationship and saw that helium had, successful fact, sent a outgo of £12.50 to TfL.

However, helium was dismayed to spot that helium had deed the incorrect fastener portion paying and had registered his travel for the incorrect day.

And adjacent though helium claims that an relation connected TfL's assistance table suggested helium lodge an appeal arsenic "mistakes happen", this was repeatedly turned down arsenic the good grew.

Mr Bortone told The Telegraph: "I called backmost and forth, and my appeals kept being denied by TfL.

"I request TfL to reappraisal my lawsuit urgently.

"The outgo was taken down wrongly, but I did wage for a time of parking.

"I’ve been truthful sick and stressed astir it.

"I’ve got 3 kids to wage for.

"I’m conscionable trying to bash the champion I can."

Things got adjacent worse arsenic the fine doubled to £360 arsenic the 14-day discount model ran retired portion his entreaty was processed.

The distraught drivers alleged that betterment agents accepted the outgo receipt helium showed them, but that it was again rejected by TfL and the good accrued erstwhile much to £589.

He has since received a missive saying helium could perchance person his car repossessed and person a county tribunal judgment against him for "refusing" to wage the fine.

A spokesperson for TfL said: "Mr Bortone did correctly person a punishment complaint announcement arsenic helium didn’t wage the ULEZ complaint for the close time oregon wrong the required period.

"We asked him to supply impervious that helium paid for the incorrect time but received nary effect to immoderate of our notices, truthful the good increased.

"As Mr Bortone did primitively effort to wage the charge, we are blessed to settee the lawsuit connected receipt of the archetypal punishment charge."