Request ID: FOI-0198-2324 Date published: 24 May 2023
You asked
How much money has the ULEZ made in each month since January 2021? Could I also get a breakdown of ULEZ charges and PCN payments?
May I have the number of total fines for each London Borough since the expansion of ULEZ in October 2021?
Could I have the number of ULEZ violations since the ULEZ expansion on October 25th in each Borough?
Which roads have seen the greatest number of ULEZ violations since October 25th 2021?
We answered
Our Ref: FOI-0198-2324
Thank you for your request received on 20 April 2023 asking for information about the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold the information you require. The ULEZ was launched on 8 April 2019 and covered the same area as the Congestion Charging zone. On 25 October 2021 it was extended to cover the are up to, but not including the North and South circular roads. As the expansion was new between 25 October 2021 and 22 November 2021 we issued warning notices rather than PCNs. It is a statutory requirement that any net revenue generated by our road charging schemes (the ULEZ, LEZ or the Congestion Charge) is reinvested back into London’s transport network. Information on how any revenue generated will be spent across TfL is published in our Business Plan: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/2023-business-plan-acc.pdf You asked: • How much money has the ULEZ made in each month since January 2021? Could I also get a breakdown of ULEZ charges and PCN payments? The table below details penalty charge notice (PCN) and charge income from January 2021 to 21 April 2023. Please note that the ULEZ PCN payments include payments for PCNs where the registered keeper resides outside Greater London. The ULEZ was originally launched on 8 April 2019 and covered the same area of central London as the Congestion Charging zone. On 25 October 2021, the ULEZ was expanded to cover the area up to, but not including, the North and South Circular roads. This represented an 18 time increase in the size of the zone. As the expansion was new between 25 October 2021 and 22 November 2021, we issued warning notices rather than PCNs to the keepers of non-compliant vehicles being driven in the zone without payment of the charge. When a motorist receives a penalty they can challenge it by submitting a representation to us. If the representation is accepted, the penalty is cancelled, and if it is rejected the motorist has a further right to appeal against this decision to an Independent Adjudicator at London Tribunals. If the appeal is allowed, the penalty is cancelled, and if refused it remains outstanding.
Year/Month
ULEZ daily charges
ULEZ PCN Payments
2021
Jan
£2,184,100.00
£968,135.00
Feb
£2,195,537.50
£961,687.62
Mar
£2,370,025.00
£1,074,823.60
Apr
£2,278,462.50
£1,220,853.60
May
£2,433,162.50
£1,452,546.64
Jun
£2,494,800.00
£1,397,139.69
Jul
£2,496,837.50
£1,591,163.38
Aug
£2,408,087.50
£1,599,303.93
Sep
£2,435,362.50
£1,327,785.02
Oct
£5,980,912.50
£1,016,154.87
Nov
£16,828,012.50
£2,308,978.97
Dec
£14,661,937.50
£12,977,856.19
Total
£58,767,237.50
£27,896,428.51
2022
Jan
£13,428,137.50
£7,915,129.75
Feb
£13,090,112.50
£7,138,824.47
Mar
£14,583,650.00
£7,191,133.02
Apr
£13,020,837.50
£6,927,539.13
May
£13,594,062.50
£6,864,705.17
Jun
£13,082,600.00
£6,776,119.20
Jul
£12,747,037.50
£6,544,550.80
Aug
£12,124,500.00
£6,341,764.43
Sep
£11,728,500.00
£5,076,161.60
Oct
£12,018,037.50
£4,822,961.00
Nov
£11,336,000.00
£3,826,927.50
Dec
£10,556,900.00
£3,896,812.00
Total
£151,310,375.00
£73,322,628.07
2023
Jan
£9,689,237.50
£2,711,491.92
Feb
£8,921,425.00
£2,334,793.00
Mar
£9,996,275.00
£2,287,225.00
Apr
£5,063,150.00
£412,490.00
Total
£33,670,087.50
£7,745,999.92
Grand Total
£243,747,700.00
£108,965,056.50
• May I have the number of total fines for each London Borough since the expansion of ULEZ in October 2021? • Could I have the number of ULEZ violations since the ULEZ expansion on October 25th in each Borough? Penalties are issued to the registered keeper of a vehicle as held by the DVLA. The address to which the penalty is issued does not necessarily indicate that this is where the driver resides. For example, some penalties will be issued to hire or lease companies based in London but the driver may live outside London. The table below details the total amount paid and the number of penalties issued to the addresses within each of the London boroughs since the ULEZ was expanded on 25 October 2021. PCNs issued to addresses outside of greater London are not included in these figures.
London Borough
Number Of PCNs Issued
Amount Paid (£)
Barking & Dagenham
50,077
£819,216.00
Barnet
53,026
£1,178,600.65
Bexley
28,605
£862,243.50
Brent
75,981
£1,168,919.00
Bromley
27,199
£1,169,318.31
Camden
16,745
£242,225.02
City of London
274
£7,992.00
Croydon
50,600
£1,522,245.06
Ealing
48,016
£1,412,303.50
Enfield
98,647
£1,451,551.54
Greenwich
42,806
£664,204.50
Hackney
42,639
£425,038.75
Hammersmith & Fulham
18,337
£378,594.29
Haringey
89,248
£665,083.08
Harrow
31,168
£1,108,295.50
Havering
30,237
£940,625.38
Hillingdon
29,077
£1,438,898.36
Hounslow
27,522
£1,131,946.00
Islington
25,437
£277,167.50
Kensington & Chelsea
14,721
£365,360.79
Kingston upon Thames
11,736
£562,207.00
Lambeth
37,709
£662,941.00
Lewisham
45,586
£761,949.80
Merton
20,161
£807,124.02
Newham
86,816
£781,057.04
Redbridge
60,728
£941,496.64
Richmond upon Thames
11,342
£635,588.00
Southwark
38,338
£500,094.42
Sutton
12,036
£662,576.50
Tower Hamlets
39,690
£303,580.00
Waltham Forest
63,061
£671,392.74
Wandsworth
25,016
£742,855.00
Westminster
23,196
£334,779.55
Grand Total
1,275,777
£25,597,470.44
• Which roads have seen the greatest number of ULEZ violations since October 25th 2021? The aim of the ULEZ scheme is to improve air quality in London by deterring the most polluting vehicles from driving in the zone, and thereby reduce levels of pollutants that have been proven to damage human health through conditions such as asthma and other respiratory illnesses. TfL does not use separate camera networks to monitor and enforce different Road User Charging schemes. The information you have requested is exempt from disclosure under section 31 of the Freedom of Information Act, which can apply where release of information would be likely to prejudice the prevention of crime, or to prejudice the apprehension or prosecution of offenders. This is because the release of this information (or similar information in relation to other areas) would reveal locations where enforcement activity is less likely to be implemented and may therefore encourage people to ignore restrictions at those locations. Whilst we make no suggestion that you would use this information for anything other than your own interest, the disclosure of information under FOI is regarded as a disclosure to the public at large.
The use of this exemption is subject to an assessment of the ‘public interest test’ to determine whether the greater public interest rests in the exemption applying and the information being withheld, or in releasing it in any event. We recognise the need for openness and transparency by public authorities and the fact that you have requested the information is in itself an argument for release. However, in this instance we feel that balance of public interest lies in favour of withholding the information to ensure that we are able to manage traffic on the TfL Road Network. It would be strongly against the public interest to release any information that would undermine this. We consider that the release of this information would lead to increased traffic problems as some motorists may seek to take advantage of the information, which would have a detrimental effect on street management. This principle has been previously agreed by the Information Commissioner in relation to a similar, previous request, as can be seen in the following Decision Notice - the same arguments apply in your case:
The ULEZ is designed to improve the environment for everyone in London, and the information that the public need to comply with the scheme - including a map of the area covered and a postcode checker - is proactively published on our website here: https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone For these reasons we believe the greater public interest rests in the exception applying. If this is not the information you are looking for please do not hesitate to contact me. Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
Gemma Jacob Senior FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
