Request ID: FOI-1858-2324 Date published: 25 September 2023
You asked
My FOI requests are:
1. Please provide the source and substantiation of the TFL claim that over 90% of cars driving on London roads meet the ULEZ standards
2. Please confirm how many requests TFL has received from fleet operators a) since the ULEZ was first introduced and b) of that, how many in last 12 months for TFL to provide more timely confirmation of which vehicles have entered the zone
3. Please confirm whether or not there are technical reasons which prevent TFL from providing either a). realtime or b) more timely information to fleet operators registered on autopay of which vehicles have entered the zone. Please confirm whether or not an App is being considered and if so, when it will be released.
To this I would also like to add:
4. Please confirm the location of every active ULEZ camera within the ULEZ zone and it's borders.
I look forward to hearing back within 20 days. However if my request cannot be answered in full, I would appreciate your advice on how it should be amended so the information I need can be furnished. Many thanks in advance
We answered
Our ref: FOI-1858-2324/GH
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 29 August 2023 asking for information about ULEZ.
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 some of the information you require.
Please provide the source and substantiation of the TFL claim that over 90% of cars driving on London roads meet the ULEZ standards
The information you have requested is available on our ULEZ pages on the TfL website: https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/ulez-compliance-data 2. Please confirm how many requests TFL has received from fleet operators a) since the ULEZ was first introduced and b) of that, how many in last 12 months for TFL to provide more timely confirmation of which vehicles have entered the zone We do not record this information.
3. Please confirm whether or not there are technical reasons which prevent TFL from providing either a). realtime or b) more timely information to fleet operators registered on autopay of which vehicles have entered the zone. Please confirm whether or not an App is being considered and if so, when it will be released. The ULEZ operates using Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology. Each entry point to, and exit from, the zone is clearly signed and as a vehicle either enters, leaves or drives within the zone its registration is recorded along with an image of the vehicle. At the end of the third charging day after the day of travel, when the payment period has expired, the list of vehicles observed in the zone is compared against the vehicles for which a charge has been paid and those which are 100% discounted, exempt from the charge or listed on a Road User Charging Autopay account. Where a match is found the image and record of the vehicle is deleted.
Following this process and verification that a charge is due, the charge is then allocated to the relevant Auto Pay or fleet account on which the vehicle is listed. Therefore when a vehicle on an account is driven in the ULEZ the charge usually appears on the Auto Pay or fleet account within 4-5 days of the journey.
In light of the above procedure we do not currently have the facility to allow motorists to immediately verify whether a vehicle has been driven in the zone. There are no current plans to introduce an app allowing motorists to do this.
4. Please confirm the location of every active ULEZ camera within the ULEZ zone and it's borders. In accordance with the EIR, we are not obliged to supply any of the information as it is subject to a statutory exception to the right of access to information under regulations R12(5)(a) – international relations, defence, national security & public safety (in this instance specifically public safety), regulation 12(5)(b) – the course of justice, the ability of a person to receive a fair trial or the ability of the public authority to conduct and inquiry of a criminal or disciplinary nature – (in this instance specifically the course of justice), and regulation 12(5)(e) – confidentially of commercial or industrial information where such confidentiality is provide by law to protect a legitimate economic interest.
The rationale for this is explained in more detail in a published response to a previous information request which is available on our website here:
