Request ID: FOI-1351-2324 Date published: 23 August 2023
You asked
Please provide the names of all public figures, actors, presenters etc, that have taken part, paid or unpaid, in either TV advertising or radio for the ulez expansion plan.
We answered
Our Ref: FOI-1351-2324
Thank you for your request received on 31 July 2023 asking for information about the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expansion advertising campaign.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold the information you require.
TfL’s radio and TV adverts aim to raise awareness of the ULEZ expansion across all London boroughs, how the scheme operates including the boundary, hours of operation and daily charge, explain the link between poor air quality and health and encourage vehicle checking ahead of when the scheme expands from 29 August 2023.
The following people feature in some of the radio activity and TV advertising:
1. Radio adverts featuring independent health experts: Sarah Woolnough, Chief Executive of Asthma + Lung UK, Dr Susan Mitchell, Alzheimer's Research UK, Dr Mark Miller, British Heart Foundation funded research scientist, Professor Jonathan Grigg, Professor of Environmental and Respiratory Medicine, Queen Mary, University of London, and Dr Anant Patel, respiratory consultant at the Royal Free Hospital. These health experts are not paid for their participation and they have agreed to be named in the adverts.
2. Radio adverts featuring radio station presenters: Sian Welby, Dr Zoe Williams, Jenni Falconer, and Pandora Christie. Radio presenters are paid for their participation. The cost for these presenters is included within the media airtime purchase as this activity forms part of a content partnership. They have agreed to be named in the radio content when it is broadcast. These adverts also feature a paid radio station voiceover artist for some of the content.
3. Radio adverts featuring a voiceover artist interviewing real members of the public in outer London. The voiceover artist is paid and receives a recording fee and usage payment. Members of the public are real outer Londoners and are not paid for their participation.
4. Radio advert features a voiceover artist, Michael Fox who receives a recording fee and usage payment.
5. The TV advert encouraging vehicle owners to check their vehicles features paid voiceover artists. Actors are paid a nominal fee for the day and usage if featured in the advertising. The TV advert also features a voiceover by Michael Fox.
The radio and TV adverts form part of a wider comprehensive campaign targeting Londoners and home counties drivers to raise awareness and to explain who is affected, where the expanded zone will operate and how the scheme operates including hours of operations, the daily charge and how to pay.
Activity is running across TV (ITV and Channel 4), video on demand (ITVX, All4, Sky), radio, local and pan-London press, national specialist press e.g. What Van and What Car, and national press, content running on radio, local and pan-London news titles, digital display, messaging on Waze, a wayfinding app, social, roadside posters and petrol pump nozzle advertising. In addition to advertising, emails are being sent to customers registered to TfL’s database and leaflets have been distributed via door drop in outer London boroughs as well as face to face leafleting in high footfall areas such as shopping centres in outer London boroughs. Letters have been sent using third party open data of contactable people living in outer London as well as letters sent via the DVLA to owners of non-compliant vehicles seen in the outer London expansion area to help provide options in advance of the expansion date.
The media activity will enable TfL to reach over 3.3m vehicle owners in London six or more times as well as 6.5m vehicle owners in the home counties six or more times so those who drive in London are aware of the upcoming expansion including boundary and how the scheme operates. 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
