Frustrated motorists are now STEALING Ulez cameras in protest over Sadiq Khan’s expansion plans: At least 43 cameras have been vandalised or nicked as protesters climb traffic signals to remove the hated enforcement cameras
- ULEZ cameras damaged or stolen in areas like Chiswick, Kingston, Heathrow
- Equipment appears to have been ripped from its base or had its with wires cut
- More than 300 cameras already installed across several London borough by TfL
Frustrated motorists have resorted to stealing ULEZ cameras protest over Sadiq Khan’s controversial expansion plans.
Protestors have been climbed traffic signals to take out the vehicle registration detection devices out of action in boroughs across the capital including Kingston, Sutton, Heathrow, Bromley and Greenwich.
There are reports that ULEZ cameras have been ripped from their bases, have had their with wires cut or bags placed over them in protest the plans.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said that as of March this year, there have been 31 instances of theft or vandalism within the newly proposed expansion zones, and 12 within the existing zone.
Transport for London (TfL) is planning to install 2,750 cameras across outer London to enforce the new ULEZ expansion zone.
The locations where the ULEZ cameras have been reported as damaged or stolen mapped
Over the weekend there were reports in Stoke Newington, Kilburn, Fulham of dozens of ULEZ cameras ruthlessly ‘retired’
Another camera on the Hogarth roundabout in Chiswick was cut on Friday 14 April. A picture of the equipment was shared on Facebook group OneChiswick
Mr Khan’s plans to expand the ULEZ zone to all 32 London Boroughs by 29 August.
This will mean that drivers of vehicles that do not pass certain emissions standards will be required to pay £12.50 per day to drive in these zones.
A full list of the new locations where the cameras have been reported as damaged are: Abbey Wood, Cheam, Chiswick, Kingston, Wallington, Bromley, Heathrow, West Sutton, Sutton, Kingston, Stoke Newington, Kilburn, Fulham and Greenwich.
City Hall Conservatives questioned the Mayor of London how many cameras have been damaged and what the cost of repairs has been by those in the original zone and those in the expanded area.
In response, the Mayor’s office said that: ‘As of 21 March 2023, there had been 31 instances of vandalism or theft to ULEZ cameras within the expansion zone. Within the existing zone, there had been 12 instances of vandalism or theft.
‘Due to commercial and confidentiality reasons, TfL cannot share the unit cost of cameras, or for repair of cameras.’
Instillation of the cameras have already begun in the newly proposed zones, with more than 300 already installed across several boroughs including Hillingdon, Kingston and Sutton.
This comes after several London councils including Harrow, Hillingdon, Croydon, Sutton, Bromley, Bexley, Havering and Kingston, said that they would fight the Mayor over expanding the ULEZ zone.
At a Mayoral Question Time in January, Conservative GLA member Nick Rogers said he was ‘surprised’ the Mayor had any confidence in the ULEZ scheme going ahead this August with the public backlash ‘huge and is growing.’
He said: ‘Londoners are increasingly angry with these plans. You’ve got Facebook groups like ‘Action Against Unfair ULEZ Expansion’ that have appeared with nearly 20,000 members, and additionally a number of the boroughs who are standing up for their residents and are refusing to cooperate with the installation of ULEZ infrastructure.’
But this week, it was announced that a Judicial Review into the proposed expansion is due in July. This comes following the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Hillingdon and Harrow, along with Surrey County Council outlining their concerns about the legality of the Mayor of London’s scheme.
Regardless, TfL is reportedly spending between £60 million and £75 million on the new cameras and road signs.
The cameras, which have not yet been switched on, will make up a large part of the total cost for the ULEZ expansion which is estimated at around £130 – 140 million.
But motorists have been left furious over the proposed expansions, as images have been circulation on social media of damaged, vandalised and inoperable cameras.
A ULEZ camera at an undisclosed location in London removed. The post on Twitter reads: ‘Wire looks cut! Other side of road too. Will Khan still not get the message?’
Another ULEZ camera was reported stolen at bottom of Shooters Hill, in the London Royal Borough Of Greenwich
There have been reports that the ULEZ cameras have had their with wires cut or bags placed over them in protest against the upcoming expansion. Pictured is a cut camera at an undisclosed location in London
This weekend, on 12 April, there were reports in Stoke Newington, Kilburn and Fulham of retired cameras, as a post of Twitter showed the camera cord snipped.
The post read: ‘Over the weekend reports in Stoke Newington, Kilburn, Fulham, sadly see dozens more ULEZ cameras ruthlessly ‘retired’. HIN insiders report locals – calling themselves ‘ULEZ Blade Runners’, are taking vehicle registration detection devices out of action.’
Meanwhile, another camera on the Hogarth roundabout in Chiswick was cut on Friday 14 April.
A picture that was shared on Facebook group OneChiswick, which several local Conservative Councillors are members of, showed the out-of-use equipment.
While earlier this month, a ULEZ camera was stolen at the bottom of Shooters Hill SE London Royal Borough Of Greenwich.
And another image shared on Twitter shows a camera at an undisclosed location in London cut and removed from its standing, as the post reads: ‘Another ULEZ camera removed. Wire looks cut! Other side of road too. Will Khan still not get the message?’
Another picture shared online appeared to show two ULEZ cameras removed from Woodcote Road in Wallington, Sutton, with the post reading: ‘Looks like the ULEZ cameras outside [Wallington] Girls’ have been nicked. I gather the ones down by The Dukes Head have gone too.’
READ MORE: Boris Johnson lashes out at Sadiq Khan over ULEZ as the former Prime Minister claims the scheme has nothing to do with pollution
In another location in West Sutton, a camera was pictured with its wire snipped and a hand painted sign attached to the pole reading ‘NO ULEZ’.
Meanwhile, in Kingston, South West London – one of the newly proposed areas – there have been sightings of cardboard boxes or bags put around the cameras in order to put them out of action.
And on 12 April, relentless ULEZ camera vandalism was reported that in Abbey Wood, Cheam, Kingston, Wallington, Bromley and near Heathrow.
In addition to this, a social media user wrote that locals in this area are ‘covering vehicle number plates and refusing to pay fines.’
TfL have told MailOnline that they are unable to outline or give any more detail regarding the vandalism or stolen ULEZ cameras in London as it would encourage others to damage them.
However, a TfL spokesperson said: ‘Vandalism on our network is unacceptable. All incidents are reported to the police for investigation.’
Susan Hall AM, leader of the City Hall Conservatives, said: ‘Sadiq Khan is wrong to put up cameras and impose his ULEZ tax against the wishes of an overwhelming majority of Londoners. But vandalising cameras and breaking the law is completely unacceptable.’
In a report published by TfL on 23 March, it said that around 90% of cars being driven in outer London now meet the ULEZ standards, adding that the ‘vast majority of drivers will not have to pay the ULEZ charge when the scheme extends London-wide on 29 August 2023.’
New Transport for London data shows that nine in 10 cars seen driving in outer London on an average day meet the standards.
The ultra-low emission zone is to be expanded in August to cover the whole of Greater London – seen here in light green
TfL is planning to install 2,750 cameras across outer London to enforce the new ULEZ expansion zone. So far, more than 300 already installed across several London boroughs
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: ‘I have always been clear with Londoners that the aim of the ULEZ is to get the most polluting vehicles off our roads in order to protect both the health of Londoners and our environment.
‘This new data shows people, businesses and charities understand the impact of air pollution on health and are preparing for the change. With this jump in compliance, it’s now just one in ten cars seen driving in outer London that aren’t ULEZ compliant – a fantastic result.’
He added: ‘We expect the number of compliant vehicles to go up even more as people prepare for the expansion, but we know there is more to do to ensure every Londoner can breathe cleaner air.
‘For drivers of the very few non-compliant vehicles, I have launched the biggest scrappage scheme ever – £110m – to help families on lower incomes, small businesses, charities, sole traders and disabled Londoners replace their vehicle with a less polluting one or move to a cleaner, more active mode of transport.’
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