I would like details of all advertising and awareness campaigns ran to make the general public aware of the ULEZ zone, and more so how the fees should be paid. In particular I would like to know how the this information has been publicised to operators or buses, coaches and HGV's based in the North East of England. (Publications, radio adverts, television adverts, social media awareness & direct contact to operators)

---

TfL Ref: FOI-0782-1920

Thank you for your email received by Transport for London (TfL) on 17 June 2019.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.  I can confirm we do hold the information you require. You asked:

I would like details of all advertising and awareness campaigns ran to make the general public aware of the ULEZ zone, and more so how the fees should be paid. In particular I would like to know how the this information has been publicised to operators or buses, coaches and HGV's based in the North East of England. (Publications, radio adverts, television adverts, social media awareness & direct contact to operators).

A multi media advertising campaign has been running since May 2018 to raise awareness of the implementation of the central London Ultra Low Emission (ULEZ) from  8 April 2019 and included messaging explaining  to vehicle owners how to pay the daily charge (fees) should their vehicles not meet the required emissions standards. The campaign targeted both private and commercial vehicle owners, using a multi-channel approach to reach drivers based within and outside London. The following channels were used to both raise awareness and provide detailed information:

• National press ran in Daily Mail, Daily Mirror & The Sun
• Specialist trade press appearing nationally in the following titles: Commercial Motor, Truck and Driver, Bus and Coach Buyer, What Van, Fleet World, Van Fleet world, Motorcycle news
• Radio adverts have run across 10 stations, which reach both London and a radius of 25 to 30miles around London subject to terrain.
• Over 600,000  letters have been sent to owners of  non-compliant vehicles driven within the central London area since last October 2018. Owners of vehicles that do not meet the required emissions standards were sent a letter via the DVLA explaining the new ULEZ, where it would operate, the daily charge and directing recipients to the TFL website to find out more
• Posters (large digital formats, roadside and bus shelter and posters on the Underground and the Overground)   
• Advertising has run on the back of TfL Buses   
• Advertising on Petrol station screens and nozzles
• 32 London regional press titles, Evening Standard, Metro, City Am
• Over 5.3m emails were sent out to customers registered with TfL. This includes owners of cars, lorries and coaches amongst other vehicles.
• Online videos targeted London drivers via third party websites
• Google search adverts have directed those interested to the TfL website for further information
• Partnership with Waze (a wayfinding driving app) making 1M London drivers aware of the new ULEZ boundary
• Tweets from @Tfl has been promoted to London drivers with information on the boundary map and the vehicle checker
• Information on ULEZ has been included on Congestion charge receipt's with details of ULEZ launch date
• Information on the TfL website explaining the cost and how to pay the daily charge.

Signage was installed and in use in advance of the ULEZ being implemented.

• 32 Electronic variable message board were deployed with messaging explaining the ULEZ launched 8 April and in operation 24/7 on key roads outside the central zone.
• Early waning signage was installed at entrances to the zone from 4 weeks prior explaining the ULEZ was coming 8 April 2019, followed by permanent road signs at every entry point along the boundary and along key arterial approaches. They sit next to existing Congestion Charge signs.

Specific information on how to pay the ULEZ daily charge was communicated via radio on 8 London channels, emails to customers registered with TfL. Blue Badge holders registered with TfL but with no email address were sent letters explaining how to pay if their vehicle didn’t meet the standards. Online videos detailing payment channels appeared on third party websites,  as well as payment information detailed on the TfL website.

TfL regularly liaises with industry bodies who represent the freight and coach industry.  In particular the main coach trade associations the CPT (national) and LTCOA (London) as well as express coach operators such as Megabus and National Express. In addition we also attended the Euro Bus Expo show at the NEC at the end of October last year to provide information on ULEZ specifically.  

TfL have engaged with the freight industry regularly on ULEZ. We have  held briefings with the industry, held freight forums and included ULEZ information in our freight industry email bulletin. TfL regularly liaises with the main Lorry  trade associations Road Haulage Association and the Freight Transport Association and they have been closely involved with us in the run up to launch.

Post the launch of the ULEZ we continued to advertise explaining that the ULEZ had arrived and how to pay the charge on radio channels and emails were sent to 1.9m customers registered on the TfL database.

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.

Yours sincerely

Eva Hextall

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

Back to top

---