TfL to refund charges from vandalised Ulez cameras

Cameras across London monitor vehicles entering the low emission zone

Drivers wrongly issued with ultra low emission zone (Ulez) charges due to vandalised enforcement cameras will have their penalties cancelled, Transport for London (TfL) has pledged.

Two Ulez cameras in Chingford in north-east London, had been twisted the wrong way so that they were facing roads outside the Ulez boundary.

It meant non-compliant vehicles were being captured by the cameras and incorrectly charged £12.50 per day.

Emma Best, a Tory member of the London Assembly, said “dozens of residents” had contacted her after being fined.

'Vandalism will not stop Ulez'

“TfL have continually shown that they have completely lost control of the administration of fees and fines, and are not even able to correctly identify the zone," she said.

“Dozens of residents contacted me after being fined for driving outside the zone and subsequently having their appeals rejected by TfL.

“For those with auto-pay, they have discovered there is no way to challenge a charge on their account. It’s absolutely ridiculous.”

A TfL spokesperson said: “We are aware that some cameras at the Ulez boundary in Chingford became misaligned through acts of vandalism to point outside the boundary.

"The cameras have since been fixed and realigned, and any penalty charges issued incorrectly during this short period will be cancelled.

“Camera vandalism will not stop the Ulez operating London-wide. All vandalised cameras are repaired or replaced as soon as possible.”

The Ulez was expanded in August 2023 to cover the whole of London.

The charge of £12.50 a day for vehicles that did not meet emissions standards was introduced for inner London in 2019.