Be Aware of the Agendas
This week I want to explore something that's been on my mind: corporate greed, and the agendas — sometimes hidden, sometimes barely concealed — that drive institutions when what they say and what they do don't quite line up.
It's normal for a company to be profit-driven. Many also claim a mission to improve lives, transform industries, and act as good corporate citizens — but often only when that mission happens to line up neatly with the bottom line. I had a personal experience recently that brought this into sharp focus.
I had to drive to Mayfair, London. I rarely drive into the city centre — the parking costs, the congestion charge, the speed cameras waiting for you at every turn like a predator stalking its prey — it's simply not worth the hassle. In the past three years, this was only the second time I'd done it.
As I crossed into the congestion charge zone, I noticed the signs. They were everywhere, impossible to miss, right in your face. Credit where it's due — on visibility, at least, TfL doesn't hide the fact that you're entering a charging zone.
My meeting lasted thirty minutes. I arrived at 7:50 am and was out of the zone by 8:30 am, telling myself the whole time not to forget to pay the charge. And yet, because the entire episode was such a tiny blip in an otherwise busy day, I forgot completely, as completely as you'd forget what you had for dinner three days ago.
TfL didn't send a reminder. It sent a notice: pay £90 within ten days, or the penalty doubles to £180. That's when it hit me.
Why so aggressive? Why so quick, and why so harsh? Because, at its core, this is a money-making machine.
Compare that to an experience I had three years ago, when I got my first speeding ticket after 28 years of driving. The police gave me a choice: pay a fine or attend a driver awareness course. I chose the course, and I genuinely believe every driver should take one every five years, ticket or not. The police objective wasn't to profit from a moment's lapse in judgement — it was to educate, raise awareness, and reduce future risk. I came away grateful for it.
TfL's approach to the congestion charge feels nothing like that. Its institutional incentive seems less about changing behaviour and more about extracting as much money as it is ethically — and legally — allowed to. Where I think it goes wrong is in how it engages with the public.
Despite all those signs, not one of them clearly explains what to do, how to do it, or by when. Is same-day payment really a reasonable expectation? Paying for parking through apps like RingGo or PayByPhone is effortless, so why isn't paying the congestion charge just as simple?
I'd wager the business model isn't really built around collecting £15 a day from drivers — it's built around the £90 penalty, with the hope that enough people miss the ten-day window and end up paying £180 instead. And if TfL already has my address on file to send a penalty notice, why not send a £15 reminder after a day or two, instead of jumping straight to the maximum fine? Because, deep down, that simply isn't what the system is optimised for.
I don't believe any real effort or investment goes into educating, raising awareness, or supporting commuters here. There are countless ways to use advertising and public communication for the benefit of the people being served — we've seen it work elsewhere, time and again. So why not apply that same principle to the congestion charge?
And I say all of this knowing that TfL's stated vision and values are built around a sustainable, green future and a more inclusive, dynamic, democratic city. I was driving an electric car. My penalty was identical to what a diesel lorry would pay.
It leaves me wondering whether any company whose success depends on direct dealings with the public — and whose decisions affect millions of people's daily lives — should be governed, or at least monitored, by an independent body that holds its stated mission and values to account. What is the real purpose behind an organisation like TfL, and who ultimately benefits from it? My instinct is this: once you identify the paymaster — the ultimate beneficial owner — the real agenda usually isn't far behind.
