Drivers have slammed London's controversial Ulez scheme amid claims they are being fined for driving inside the zone, even though their vehicles are exempt from paying.
The Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) has been the source of ire since it was introduced in 2019, with particular anger coming after London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced it would cover Greater London from 2023.
Millions of people now live, work and study inside the Ulez charging area, which requires non-compliant vehicles to pay for to travel inside the capital at a rate of £12.50 per day.
The charge applies to older petrol and diesel cars which are not compliant with emissions standards, with Transport for London (TfL) issuing a £90 penalty charge notice for the infraction.
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The motorist said he was fined for driving into the Ulez, despite having a compliant car
PA/GETTY
One social media user posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, to vent their frustration at being handed a £90 Ulez fine, despite claiming to drive a compliant vehicle.
After calling the transport authority, the driver submitted a screenshot of the TfL website showing his car is compliant, alongside a copy of his logbook, number plate certificate and "a letter from BMW to prove my car is exempt from Ulez".
He added that he wasn't able to submit any documents directly to TfL, but rather to London Tribunals, which would require the documents to be sent via the post.
The social media user concluded: "But safe to say they’re not getting £90 out of me, even if it kills me."
A TfL spokesperson told GB News that it was sorry for the "incorrect charge", adding that it had cancelled the penalty charge and contacted him to apologise for the distress.
It added: "We receive updates from the DVLA on a four-weekly basis, ensuring we have the latest data on vehicle compliance available.
"However, there may sometimes be customers who have swapped private number plates who find that their new vehicle is not included in the latest update and will unfortunately be registered as non-compliant until the following update a month later.
"Should any customer find this has happened to them, we urge them to contact us as soon as possible with the appropriate documentation so we can ensure their vehicle is registered as meeting the standards."
TfL added that drivers should check their vehicle checker after they have swapped a private number plate.
Anyone with a compliant vehicle who sees an error on the website saying that the vehicle is not compliant is advised to follow TfL advice so the transport authority can update records.
The TfL website states that the transport authority can issue a fine if a driver pays the charge for an incorrect number plate or incorrect day of travel, which could catch some motorists out.
Coronation Street star Daniel Brocklebank also took to Twitter to complain about the Ulez after his partner was hit with a £90 fine just two minutes after midnight.
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The Ultra Low Emission Zone was expanded to Greater London in 2023
PADrivers can be hit with a fine if they travel across two separate days, as the scheme works from midnight to midnight, as opposed to the Tube network, which starts at 4.30am and ends at 4.29am.
In a post to X, he explained that his partner had driven from Manchester to London with Brocklebank's mother and three friends to watch the actor perform in a musical at the London Palladium.
The actor posted a picture of the letter which explained that a BMW 114d Sport had been spotted on Cromwell Road and that he has 14 days to pay the discounted rate of £90.
If the former Emmerdale actor had ignored the letter, the fine would have increased to £180, or potentially even £270 within six weeks. He added: "@MayorofLondon [Sadiq Khan], you 'sir' are an absolute disgrace. This is robbery."
In an update to the original post, Brocklebank confirmed that the "lovely people" at TfL had cancelled the Ulez penalty charge four days after posting about the issue.
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