Transport for London (TfL) says it’s going after drivers who persistently evade Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued for Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) contraventions. The transport operator notes that few are liable to pay the charge – as TfL’s latest data shows that more than 97 per cent of vehicles seen driving in the ULEZ comply with the emissions standards. Also, 94 per cent of the outstanding debt owed from all open UK-issued ULEZ PCNs is from persistent evaders (defined as those with at least four PCNs outstanding).
Hence TfL has been deploying what it terms an intelligence-led approach alongside enforcement, which can include tracking evaders to addresses and employing data-sharing with other national bodies, such as the Department for Transport and Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). This has led to around £16.5m of debt related to road user charges and penalties being recovered through enforcement action and returned to TfL between January and June 2025. Also in that half year more than 530 vehicles have been seized from drivers who have failed to pay road user charges and penalties. More than 350 have been sold at auction, and £285,000 raised through sales.
As for civil action, TfL warns that in the most extreme cases, this includes action that could lead to bankruptcy proceedings for a person or business if they refuse to settle their debt; and action that would ensure debt is repaid before a property is sold. Other alternative enforcement by TfL could include recovering earnings from an individual’s employer and making more use of civil action to bolster the effectiveness of enforcement agents, including debt recovery actions in a county court. TfL is trialling changes to the style and format of its PCNs and Charge Certificates. The aim; encouraging drivers to settle rather than ignore the charges and engage at an earlier stage of the process. This includes making it even clearer to the driver what the enforcement process is.
What they say
Alex Williams, TfL’s Chief Customer and Strategy Officer, said: “We know that we need bold solutions to tackle the public health crisis and poor air quality in London and ULEZ does just that.
“With 97 per cent of vehicles seen driving in London now ULEZ compliant, only a very small minority of vehicles now don’t meet the standards. Most drivers who have vehicles that are liable for the charge are responsible and pay it. It is only a small group of persistent evaders who fail to do so.
“We want to make it clear that if you receive a penalty charge for driving in the zone, you should not ignore it. Your penalty will progress to enforcement agents to recover what you owe, and there is a risk that your vehicle and other items of property will be removed. If you’re ignoring it because you are facing financial difficulties, please instead engage with our staff, who can consider your individual circumstances and work with you.”
Background
TfL’s cameras check the number plates of vehicles driving in the zone and if no charge is paid for a non-compliant vehicle within three days of the journey taking place, and no Auto Pay arrangement is in place, a PCN is sent to the registered keeper.
