Discover ULEZ cameras purpose, function & location amid vandalism & controversy in London’s clean air initiative.
In September, TfL said some fines were wrong. Two cameras in Chingford had problems and faced the wrong way for a short time. The cameras looked beyond the Ulez zone.
TfL fixed the cameras and cancelled all accidental fines. The Ulez scheme fights air pollution, requiring drivers of older vehicles to pay £12.50 to drive in London.
Ulez cameras catch drivers who don’t pay by monitoring cars entering the zone.
These cameras record license plates and check if the vehicle meets Ulez rules. Non-compliant drivers must pay a daily fee within 21 days.
Drivers can pay through the TfL website, autopay, or phone. Failing to pay brings a fine or PCN.
Ulez cameras operate all day and night, with only Christmas Day having no charge.
London has over 1,500 Ulez cameras now, and TfL aims for a total of 2,750 cameras. Not every entry point has a camera, but TfL does not say where cameras are absent.
Vandals have often targeted Ulez cameras, and police have recorded many damage and theft incidents.
The Sun reported that from April to February, there were 1,760 incidents of damage or theft. Cameras went missing or got damaged significantly.
The Telegraph mentioned that one in four cameras in new Ulez areas got targeted. Bromley was hit the hardest with missing or damaged cameras.
Lewisham, Sutton, and Bexley had similar problems due to vandals who oppose the zone’s expansion. One person even faced jail for threatening a traffic business and asking people online to damage cameras.