Transport for London (TfL) has confiscated over 1,400 vehicles within a year from individuals who failed to pay fines related to the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) violations.
The aggressive pursuit of penalty charge evaders has led to the recovery of more than £700,000 from the sale of vehicles belonging to persistent offenders.
Alex Williams, TfL’s Chief Customer and Strategy Officer, emphasized the importance of taking penalty notices seriously. "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," he said. "Failure to pay could result in your vehicle or other property being seized."
To enhance enforcement efforts, TfL is tripling the size of its investigations team. They will collaborate with enforcement agents to target individuals who refuse to pay the daily ULEZ charges. This strategy involves various enforcement actions, including visits from bailiffs, vehicle clamping, and selling seized vehicles at auction.
TfL’s system tracks vehicles driving in the ULEZ through cameras that check license plates. If a vehicle does not comply with ULEZ standards and no charge is paid within three days, the vehicle's registered keeper receives a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN). If the penalty remains unpaid, it escalates into an unpaid debt, leading to court-issued warrants and enforcement actions. Persistent refusal to settle debts can result in bailiffs visiting the individual's address.
In one instance, a driver with 45 outstanding warrants was located by TfL agents. Though the driver claimed they no longer owned the vehicle, TfL established that the penalties were incurred before the vehicle was sold, leading to a settlement of nearly £16,000. In another case, a driver with 21 outstanding warrants made payments after repeated visits from enforcement agents, clearing a debt of more than £7,800.
Between August 2023 and July 2024, 1,429 vehicles were seized, with 761 of those auctioned off, recovering £710,147 in unpaid debts from ULEZ charge evaders. TfL encourages individuals who receive a PCN to engage with the notice and avoid ignoring it. Payment plans are available for those facing financial difficulties, with guidance provided to help resolve outstanding charges.
“The most recent data shows that over 96% of vehicles driving in the ULEZ are compliant,” said Williams. “The aim of ULEZ is to improve London’s air quality and reduce the number of old, polluting vehicles on the roads. There is a small minority of drivers eligible for the charge, and even fewer who refuse to pay.”
TfL encourages drivers to sign up for its Auto Pay system, which automatically bills customers when their vehicles enter the ULEZ, helping them avoid fines. Auto Pay provides monthly statements, and users have 90 days to dispute any charges.
A pilot scheme to provide increased support for vulnerable individuals facing penalty charges is set to launch in the coming months. TfL’s website also offers detailed guidance on how to challenge PCNs, appeal decisions, and understand the rights of individuals in relation to enforcement agents. Photo by Matt Brown, Wikimedia commons.