More than 400,000 Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) penalties have not been issued by Transport for London (TfL) owing to missing vehicle owner details, according to figures obtained from a Freedom of Information request.
The data, spanning from Jan. 1 to Aug. 29, reveals that the absence of registered vehicle owners’ information on the DVLA database has resulted in 417,080 drivers evading ULEZ fines.
A similar trend was clear in the case of Congestion Charge fines, where 114,274 penalties were not issued for the same reason.
ULEZ, which was expanded on Aug. 29 by London Mayor Sadiq Khan to cover the capital’s outer boroughs, imposes a £12.50 daily fee on drivers of non-compliant vehicles, which are broadly those manufactured before 2005 for petrol vehicles and 2015 for diesel vehicles.
TfL has the authority to fine vehicle owners £180 for non-payment, a charge that reduces to £90 if paid within two weeks.
However, vehicle owners’ details, especially for those registered abroad, were not accessible on the DVLA database. TfL officials clarified that before issuing a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), they verify the vehicle details provided by the DVLA to ensure they match the vehicle image in their possession.
If a match is not found, a PCN is not issued. Motorists have the right to challenge fines by submitting representations to TfL, and if evidence of vehicle cloning is provided, the penalty is cancelled.
‘9 Out of 10’ Cars Compliant
TfL emphasised that 9 out of 10 cars in outer London are ULEZ compliant, and drivers can sign up for TfL’s Auto Pay system to avoid fines automatically. Under this system, drivers are billed for the number of charging days their vehicles travel within the Congestion Charge zone, Low Emission Zone, and ULEZ.Mr. Khan, despite previous plans to introduce a road-user charging scheme, stated in a recent interview with the Evening Standard that a pay-per-mile system was not on his agenda, saying, “As long as I am mayor, we’re not going to have pay-per-mile.”
Responding to criticism from opponents, Mr. Khan reiterated his commitment to the current ULEZ scheme. He said, “Road user charging, though, is off the table; it’s not on my radar, it’s not on the agenda.”
He also confirmed his intent to run again as mayor of London, saying, “I’m definitely standing, I ain’t going nowhere, bruv.”
‘A War on the People’
Mr. Habib said: “I hope he is pressured into rolling it [the ULEZ] back. There is a war on the motorist. I think it’s a much bigger war. It’s a war on the working class.“It’s a war on the people. It’s a war on liberty. It’s constraining us from doing what was historically regarded as, you know, entirely legitimate business. And I hope Khan will be scaled back.”
The challenges faced by TfL in issuing ULEZ fines highlight the complexities of implementing emissions-related policies while ensuring fair enforcement.
The issue of missing details raises questions about the effectiveness of the current enforcement process.
It comes as Belgium’s transportation authorities have accused TfL debt collection agents of violating data protection laws, leading to fines imposed on thousands of European drivers.
The fines, related to breaches of ULEZ regulations, may have been wrongfully sent to EU-registered vehicles. Post-Brexit, UK authorities lost access to the personal data of EU citizens, yet fines were still issued.
A Belgian court blamed a collections agent collaborating with TfL for “abusing its legal powers,” affecting over 20,000 drivers. The data was allegedly transferred to a UK parking agent for enforcement. Belgian lawmakers urged their government to intervene.
TfL, representing the parking agent, clarified that any data shared adhered to data protection laws, as mandated by contracts.
