Ulez number plate checker website crashes on day of hated rollout as councils refuse to comply with new signs

The number plate checker website, which allows motorists to see if they will be charged, has frozen and left drivers stuck in a long online queue.

People attempting to visit Transport for London’s website to access the checker received an alert that said the page is “busier than usual”.

They were warned that there was a one-minute wait, but users were forced to wait in a queue to access the website.

The scheme, introduced in 2019, has proved unpopular with both councils and motorists.

Councils bordering London have refused to put up the signs that warn drivers that they are about to enter the Ulez.

Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Surrey and Thurrock have rejected calls from TFL to put up the signs.

Slough is the only one of the seven local authorities bordering the capital that has agreed to the signage.

The scheme was introduced to tackle air pollution in central London.

It initially only operated in the congestion charge zone but was then widened out to the North and South circular roads in 2021.

According to the RAC, this change made the charging zone almost 20 times bigger.

The charge will hit petrol vehicles introduced earlier than 2005 which are not compliant with Euro 4 emissions regulations.

Diesel cars and vans are only exempt if their engine complies with Euro 6 rules, which were introduced in September 2015.

The RAC criticised councils that were refusing to put up Ulez signs.

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Simon Williams, spokesperson for the RAC told the BBC: “I think the councils who are contesting or battling the mayor of London probably need to just give in and give drivers a little bit of advance warning.

“I think people do need a good advance warning of the fact they're entering the Ulez zone so it's time that councils stopped resisting and actually go ahead and put up the signs so everyone approaching the zone from all directions has adequate warning.”

A £160million scheme run by Transport for London (TfL) enables residents, small businesses, sole traders and charities scrapping non-compliant cars to claim grants.

However, the scrappage scheme has also come under fire as those living just outside the capital have not had it offered.

Martin Gough, the leader of Kent Council, said: “We're not prepared to facilitate a scheme against the interests of our residents and for which the mitigation others in London have been offered, have not been offered.”