Nearly 1,000 Ulez cameras damaged or stolen in seven months

Five people have been arrested over criminal damage relating to Ulez cameras since the London mayor announced the expansion of the clean air zone earlier this year. Credit: PA

Nearly 1,000 Ulez (ultra low emission zone) cameras have been damaged or stolen in the past seven months, the Metropolitan Police have said. Since April 1, 767 cameras have been damaged while another 220 Ulez cameras were stolen.

Five people have been arrested over criminal damage relating to Ulez cameras since the London mayor announced the expansion of the clean air zone earlier this year.

Three people have been charged, one of whom has had their case dropped, and two arrested and bailed.

The low emission zone imposes limitations on vehicle emissions with the aim of reducing pollution.

Vehicles which do not meet emissions standards incur a daily charge of £12.50 in the capital and the fine for failing to pay is £180.

The scheme was expanded to outer London boroughs on August 31 by Sadiq Khan despite legal challenges from local councils and widespread protests.

An anti-Ulez Facebook group with more than 40,000 members urging people to refuse to pay the £12.50 daily fee for non-compliant vehicles, as well as celebrating the vandalism of enforcement cameras.

Sadiq Khan says the scheme is ‘transformational’ Credit: Victoria Jones/PA
Council spent almost £150k on a failed court challenge to the ULEZ expansion
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On Tuesday, Mr Khan declared the expansion of his controversial clean air zone a success after a new report revealed 95% of all vehicles in London meet modern emissions standards.

The mayor said analysis of the first month of the extended Ultra Low Emission Zone extension demonstrated the policy "was working".

But the figures from Transport for London (TfL) also showed around 93,700 vehicles a day fail to meet Ulez standards - 80,000 of them in the extended zone.

For petrol cars to meet the emissions standards, they must generally have been first registered after 2005 and most diesel cars registered after September 2015 are also exempt.

The fine for failing to pay the Ulez charge is £180, reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days, but increasing to £270 after 28 days.

A scheme providing up to £2,000 for Londoners to scrap a non-compliant vehicle remains open.

In May, an operation was launched by the Met to ensure a proportionate approach was in place to relation to Ulez-related crimes.

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