How many PCNs have been issued for vehicles entering the Outer London LEZ?
Request ID: FOI-0381-2122 Date published: 17 June 2021
You asked
1. How many PCNs have been issued to non-compliant vehicles entering the Outer London LEZ, since the larger zone came in to operation on 1 March 2021, from areas where the LEZ is not in operation (non-controlled)?
Please tell me how many vehicles by type HGV1, HGV2 or 7.5 Tonne.
2. How many Outer London locations where the LEZ commences and where there are signs indicating a vehcile is entering the LEZ have LEZ signs indicating the commencement of the LEZ but do NOT have a camera in place?
3. How many entry points into the Outer London LEZ from non-controlled areas are there where there has been no PCNs issued in relation to having non-compliant vehicle?
We answered
Our ref: FOI-0381-2122/GH
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 24 May 2021 asking for information about Penalty Charge Notices issued for vehicles entering the Outer London Low Emissions Zone.
Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold the information you require.
The types of vehicles which receive the different levels of PCNs is available at https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/low-emission-zone/penalty-charges 1. How many PCNs have been issued to non-compliant vehicles entering the Outer London LEZ, since the larger zone came in to operation on 1 March 2021, from areas where the LEZ is not in operation (non-controlled)? Please tell me how many vehicles by type HGV1, HGV2 or 7.5 Tonne. We do not record the vehicle ‘type’ when issuing a Penalty Charge Notice.
While the new standards were introduced on 1 March 2021, in order to ensure that motorists were aware of the new standards we didn’t issue PCNs until 21 April 2021. Prior to this we were issuing warning notices to inform customers of the new standards.
Since 21 April we have issued 1,326 PCNs.
2. How many Outer London locations where the LEZ commences and where there are signs indicating a vehicle is entering the LEZ have LEZ signs indicating the commencement of the LEZ but do NOT have a camera in place? 3. How many entry points into the Outer London LEZ from non-controlled areas are there where there has been no PCNs issued in relation to having non-compliant vehicle? In accordance with the EIR, we are not obliged to supply information on locations where there are no enforcement cameras, or where no PCNs have been issued as this is subject to a statutory exception to the right of access to information under regulation 12(5)(g) where disclosure would have adverse impacts on the environment. The aim of the LEZ is to improve air quality in London by deterring the most polluting vehicles from driving in the area. It is designed to reduce levels of pollutants that have been proven to damage human health, by causing asthma and other respiratory illnesses. The LEZ covers the whole of Greater London, within the M25. Due to the size of the charging area it would be impractical and financially imprudent for an authority to have 24/7 enforcement monitoring capabilities across the whole of a network. Every authority therefore must rely on an overall deterrent effect through targeted enforcement so drivers take more heed along their entire journey, and in this regard TfL is no different. Disclosures under EIR are considered as a disclosure to the ‘public at large’, as all replies to our requests are published on our website. Providing the information you have requested would encourage non compliance with the Low Emission Zone by encouraging drivers to deliberately seek out those roads which are known not to be covered by an enforcement camera. The use of this exemption is subject to an assessment of the public interest in relation to the disclosure of the information concerned. The LEZ is a measure that is designed to improve the environment for everyone. However, in this case, disclosure of locations where there are no cameras, or no PCNs have been issued would defeat the purpose of the LEZ, by encouraging non compliance. A significant amount of boundary information is already in the public domain – by way of detailed maps and a postcode location checker – that enables drivers to know the exact areas covered by the LEZ. Therefore, in this instance we feel that balance lies in favour of withholding the information. If you are not satisfied with this response please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
Graham Hurt FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
