cameras used to enforce our Road User Charging schemes (the Congestion Charge, Low Emission Zone and Ultra Low Emission Zone) are ANPR cameras.
Request ID: FOI-0938-2122 Date published: 02 September 2021
You asked
Under the Freedom of Information Act, please provide all current congestion charge camera co-ordinates for London. In addition, please provide all cameras that will become operational this October 2021 that will be used for ALL road User Charging schemes (the Congestion Charge, Low Emission Zone and Ultra Low Emission Zone). Under the Freedom of Information Act, whenever there is a change of position of these cameras (including the omission or addition of cameras), I request that this data is automatically updated and released to the public without the need of periodic and continuous unnecessary requests for the same data.
We answered
TfL Ref: EIR-0938-2122
Thank you for your request of 9th August 2021 asking for information about the position of cameras used to enforce Road User Charging schemes.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations and our information access policy.
Specifically you asked:
“Under the Freedom of Information Act, please provide all current congestion charge camera co-ordinates for London. In addition, please provide all cameras that will become operational this October 2021 that will be used for ALL road User Charging schemes (the Congestion Charge, Low Emission Zone and Ultra Low Emission Zone).”
We currently operate a network of 1,580 ANPR cameras to monitor and enforce the following road user charging (RUC) schemes:
The Central London Congestion Charging (CC) Scheme which was implemented in February 2003.
The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) which was implemented in April 2019. The ULEZ currently occupies the same area in central London as the CC zone, but will expand out to the North Circular Road and South Circular Road from 25 October 2021.
The Greater London Low Emission Zone (LEZ) which was implemented in February 2008 and which covers the whole of Greater London.
Direct Vision Standards (DVS) and the HGV safety permit schemes which came into force on 1 March 2021 and which covers the whole of Greater London.
We do not operate a separate, dedicated network of cameras for any particular scheme(s) because, depending on their location, all of our cameras can be used to operate all RUC schemes. 674 enforcement cameras are located at the boundary of and within the central London zone. While these were originally installed to enforce the CC, they now cover all RUC schemes. Cameras located outside the central London zone currently cover LEZ and DVS and will also be used to monitor and enforce the expanded ULEZ zone. We are also installing a number of additional cameras within the expanded ULEZ zone, which will also be used to monitor and enforce LEZ and DVS. Please see the attached spreadsheet for details of the locations of camera sites in the central London zone. This information applies to all RUC schemes, including the Congestion Charge and the current ULEZ. The aim of the LEZ and ULEZ schemes is to improve air quality in London by deterring the most polluting vehicles from driving in the area. Unlike the central London zone, it is not possible to have cameras on every single entry and exit point of the LEZ due to the sheer scale of the zone. Releasing the location of these cameras could enable those who wish to avoid detection to enter the zone. The locations of the cameras outside the central London zone are therefore exempt from disclosure under the Environmental Information Regulations exception 12(5)(g). Whilst we make no suggestion that you would use this information for anything other than you own personal interest, disclosure of this information to you has to be regarded as a disclosure to ‘the public at large’. Further information on the rationale for this is as set out in similar previous cases, such as the one that can be found via the following link in relation to the original scheme:
More general information about the ULEZ expansion - including a map of the area to be covered from 25th October 2021 - can be found on our website here:
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,
Graham Hurt FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
