The number of EU drivers who have been fined by Ulez for travelling in the capital has reached record highs.
Transport for London uses European Parking Collections to issue and administer fines to vehicles registered outside of the UK.
According to a Freedom of Information request, since April 2019 EPC has issued 251,084 penalties on behalf of TfL to vehicles registered in EU member states.
Out of the penalties issues, 65,986 were given to unique vehicle registrations meaning that some vehicles would have been charged multiple times for breaches.
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Ulez penalties charge drivers £180, although reduced to £90 for payment within 14 days since the first PCN was issued.
If a foreign registered vehicle is not registered with the DVLA and is non-compliant with the Ulez rules they are subject to fines.
The information request revealed that TfL has received a total of £6,248,241 in payments for non-compliant Ulez EU cars.
Under the current Ulez rules, drivers of non-compliant cars are charged £12.50 daily for entering the zone.
To be Ulez-compliant petrol cars must meet Euro 4 emissions targets while diesel cars must adhere to Euro 6 emissions.
Petrol cars that meet the standards are generally those first registered as new with the DVLA after 2005, although cars that meet the standards have been available since 2001
TfL explained: “The Ulez is not about making money. It will lead to cleaner air while generating ever smaller net revenues, as has been the case with the previous expansion to inner London where people switched to greener vehicles.
“Data shows that more than 95 per cent of vehicles seen in the Ulez on an average day are Ulez compliant.”
TfL said it issuedpenalties both in the UK and overseas in a bid to keep the air in London cleaner for Britons.
Any net revenue received from the Ules is reportedly reinvested into running and improving London’s transport network, such as expanding bus routes in outer London.
When Ulez was expanded on 29 August 2023 to cover all London boroughs, TfL asked EPC to issue warning notices to owners of non-compliant vehicles who had not paid the charge after driving in the zone.
Warning notices were issued to ensure the “correct action” was taken in the future and to -allow for any genuine mistakes that may have occurred.
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TfL claimed the Ulez is not about making money
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However, since September 2023, PCNs have been issued for contraventions with drivers who breach the rules given a fine.
If the keeper of the vehicle contacts EPC to confirm the vehicle is in fact Ulez compliant, then the penalty will be cancelled.
