Thousands of motorists driving compliant vehicles have been mistakenly fined under London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) scheme since its introduction in 2019, due to technical glitches and administration errors.
Although over 95% of vehicles driven in the ULEZ comply with standards, the Transport for London (TfL) database mostly relies on European emission ratings. As a result, drivers of imported vehicles, particularly from Japan, have been wrongly penalised for years. Models such as the Nissan Cube and Nissan Fairlady Z meet the strict emission rules but are not recognised by TfL's automatic system.
IT Glitch Affects Thousands of Drivers
Separately, it has been reported that over 46,000 drivers were wrongly fined after a TfL IT glitch. London black cab drivers, who are exempt from the ULEZ charge, were among those affected.
Sir James Cleverly, who is running against Lord Khan as the Tory candidate for Mayor of London, said: "TfL should refund anyone who was wrongly charged, and make it quick and simple for owners of these cars to be registered as compliant, without months of paperwork."
He added: "Refusing to do either proves that Sadiq Khan cares more about squeezing drivers than about air quality. It's one more reason why, if I'm elected, I will review every charge City Hall imposes on Londoners. Too many of them hit the people who can least afford it, and Londoners deserve a system that is fair and transparent."
ULEZ Charges and Fines
The ULEZ charge is a £12.50 daily fee for driving a vehicle in Greater London that does not meet specific exhaust emissions standards. It applies 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Drivers of non-compliant vehicles face a fine of £90 if paid within 14 days or £180 if paid after.
According to figures from the Greater London Authority, Lord Khan had collected around £394 million from the scheme as of April last year. While studies have supported the health benefits of the scheme, the London Mayor has been accused of misleading the public.
TfL Responds to Complaints
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) previously ruled that adverts claiming the ULEZ had "almost halved levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2)" were misleading, concluding that the figure was based on estimates rather than actual air quality measurements.
A TfL spokesman said: "Vehicles built for markets outside Europe are subject to different emissions standards and regulations from those needed to comply with Ulez standards. In order for drivers to demonstrate that an imported car is compliant, they need to provide specific evidence from the vehicle manufacturer."
The spokesman added: "We have been working with Nissan UK to help it support its customers to submit the correct documentation that proves their vehicle is in line with the correct Euro emission standards. It is a long-standing principle of TfL's road user charging schemes that compliance can only be proved from the time that evidence is supplied."
