More Than 1,400 Vehicles Seized Over Unpaid Penalties in ULEZ Crackdown

Signs for the Ultra Low Emission Zone in central London on April 8, 2019. Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images

More than 1,400 vehicles were seized over the course a year over Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) penalties, as Transport for London (TfL) stepped up its enforcement efforts.

The latest data from TfL recorded a total of 1,429 cars removed from their owners in the year to the end of July. Some 761 vehicles that belonged to persistent non-payers were auctioned for over £700,000.

The ULEZ expanded London-wide on Aug. 29 last year with the aim of alleviating traffic congestion and air pollution in the capital.

Motorists whose vehicles don’t comply with ULEZ emissions standards and aren’t exempt, need to pay a £12.50 daily charge to drive within the zone. Those who fail to pay receive a penalty charge notice (PCN) of £180, which applies to all vehicles, including cars, vans, mopeds, ambulances, and minibuses.

If paid within 14 days, the fine is reduced to £90.

TfL said that while the vast majority of vehicles that drive within ULEZ are compliant, there are drivers who refuse to pay multiple PCNs. This leads to a significant amount of outstanding debt, which TfL said can be “reinvested into improving the transport network.”

Debt Recovery

According to the network, the number of people in its investigation team has been tripled to target PCN evaders.

TfL agents can seek a court-issued warrant to recover the debt using bailiffs.

In July, a driver with 45 warrants against them was traced by enforcement agents to a new address. The agents found that the driver’s PCNs were received before the owner sold the vehicle. The driver ultimately settled their bill of almost £16,000.

Another driver paid over £7,800 after receiving 21 warrants against their vehicle and multiple visits by TfL agents.

Enforcement agents also have the power to seize particular belongings of the debtor, and use the proceeds towards outstanding debt.

“In August, a car was located, seized and removed after ignoring ten warrants. The driver in question had been issued with a total of 43 letters and been visited by bailiffs five times previously,” the TfL report said.

Controversial Policy

TfL’s Chief Customer and Strategy Officer Alex Williams warned that drivers should not ignore ULEZ penalty charges.

“We want to send a clear message to vehicle owners that if you receive a penalty charge for driving in the zone, you should not ignore it. Your penalty will progress to enforcement agents to recover the fines that you owe, and there is a risk that your vehicle and other items of property will be removed.

“The aim of the ULEZ is to clean up London’s air and remove old polluting cars from the road so no drivers need to pay and no fines occur. There is only a small minority of drivers who are eligible for the charge, and even fewer who are refusing to pay - but we encourage anyone experiencing financial difficulties not to ignore PCNs, and to engage with our staff, who will work with you towards a resolution, including setting up debt payment plans,” Williams said in a statement on Wednesday.

ULEZ penalty charges are a hefty addition to the expenses of London households and businesses, faced with the cost-of-living crisis and high inflation.

The ULEZ expansion has faced pushback from campaigners and policymakers, who suggested that the new policy has waged a “war on drivers.”

Members of the public are known to have damaged ULEZ cameras and signage, while anti-ULEZ protesters have gathered on several occasions in Parliament Square, Trafalgar Square, and the Strand.

The Mayor of London office has defended the ULEZ expansion, emphasising its role in combating air pollution and protecting public health. It has also highlighted the availability of a scrappage scheme, supported by a £160 million fund, to help Londoners transition to compliant vehicles.