Dear Transport For London, I request all available information regarding the LEZ Zone and public information. 1. All awareness campaigns publicly released from 2012 to date, including dates, places and duration of campaign. 2. All sign locations and information detailed on each sign. 3. Where any public detailed information is currently available and more specifically where detailed information is available other than the internet. 4. What resources TFL use to data mine whether or not a vehicle meets the needed standards to gain free entry to the zone and what detailed information from them recourses are used I.E. emissions data held on file and what is used if no such data is held. 5. What process TFL has to follow if a vehicle has been flagged as not meeting the requirements, I.E, what checks have to be done, what human intervention is taken, what is taken into consideration when issuing a PNC. 6. whether records of issued PNC's are kept on the vehicle details or the persons details registered at the time of issue.

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Our ref: FOI-2071-2021/GH

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 13 January 2021 asking for information about the LEZ.

Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold the information you require.

I request all available information regarding the LEZ Zone and public information.

1. All awareness campaigns publicly released from 2012 to date, including dates, places and duration of campaign.

    

   2012

    

   From 3 January 2012, larger vans and minibuses were included in the Low Emission Zone, and vehicles that came into scope in 2008 were required to meet the Euro IV emission standard. Advertising was live between January and March 2012 to support drivers and vehicle owners with the changes, including:

    

2. 2 Jan-31 Mar – digital search advertising ran to support customers searching for information about the LEZ. Adverts also ran in european press titles. See attached Appendix 1 for a list of titles.
3. 2 Jan-27 Feb - adverts ran in trade and consumer press titles. See attached Appendix 2 for a list of titles.
4. 9-22 Jan – radio advert appeared on 11 London stations. See Appendix 3 for a list of radio stations (attached).
5. 9-16 Jan – 96 sheets - large format outdoor posters appeared on the main arterial routes used coming into London and 48 sheets – large format outdoor posters appeared on the main arterial routes and in the LEZ zone.

 

 

2019/2020 advertising campaign

 

 

The advertising campaign raised awareness and encouraged owners of heavy diesel vehicles to check their vehicle in advance of the tougher Euro VI emissions standards (announced on 6 June 2018 by the Mayor of London) which now come into force on 1 March 2021.

 

 

• From 7-31 October 2019, advertising to raise awareness of the tougher standards and to encourage vehicle checking appeared on five London commercial radio stations: Radio X, Gold London, Absolute, Jazz FM and LBC. Additional radio advertising ran on the above stations from w/c 6 - w/c 20 January 2020.

   

   

• From w/c 7 October – w/c 25 November 2019, w/c 6 January – 24 February 2020 and from w/c 9 – w/c 23 March 2020, adverts ran via trade press titles. These are listed in Appendix 4 (attached).

   

   

• From 7 October 2019 – 31 March 2020, digital search advertising ran to support drivers searching for information about the LEZ and changes to the emissions standards.

   

   

• On 5 November 2019, 2,935 emails were sent to drivers on the TfL database who were non-compliant to the tougher LEZ standards. The email informed drivers that the emissions standards were changing and encouraged them to check their vehicle.

   

   

• On 7 November 2019, information on the tougher LEZ standards was included in TfL’s weekly commercial freight bulletin email which was sent to 5,942 customers on the TfL database

   

   

• From 18 November 2019 – April 2020, a LEZ and DVS advert ran on the Motorway Buddy app which linked through to an information page on the app with details of changes to the LEZ standards (and DVS). The web page is still live on the app.

   

   

  2020/2021 advertising campaign

   

   

  The advertising campaign continues to raise awareness of the tougher Euro VI emissions standards which come into force on 1 March 2021. It also encourages vehicle checking, provides information on the options to prepare, the daily charge and how to pay.

   

   

• From 5 October-6 December 2020, we ran digital search advertising to support drivers searching for information on the LEZ and changes to the emissions standards.

   

   

• 7 October 2020 - a Variation Order notice ran in the London Gazette newspaper which stated that the date when stricter emissions standards, higher daily charges and penalty charge notices for heavy vehicles were due to start under the 2018 Variation Order is postponed from 26 October 2020 to 1 March 2021.

   

   

• From 8 October-4 December 2020, advertising continued to raise awareness of the tougher standards and encourage vehicle checking via adverts in trade and specialist press titles. See Appendix 5 for a list of trade and specialist press titles (attached).

   

   

• From 28 January 2020–25 January 2021, we sent letters via the DVLA to vehicles non-compliant to the tougher LEZ emissions standards. The mailings are sent to vehicles captured by TfL cameras during specific date ranges. These letters informed drivers of the change to the LEZ emissions standards and provided information on the options to prepare or to pay the daily charge.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Date letter sent

  Volume of letters sent

  Vehicles seen in the LEZ between

  28 Jan 20

  9,941

  14-27 Sep 19

  25 Feb 20

  20,005

  14-27 Sep 19, 2-22 Dec 19, 6-26 Jan 20

  14 Oct 20

  21,813

  11-24 May 20, 15-28 Jun 20, 10-23 Aug 20

  16 Nov 20

  10,575

  13-26 Jul 20, 14-27 Sep 20, 12-25 Oct 20

  25 Jan 21

  16,117

  1-30 Nov 20, 7-20 Dec 20

   

   

   

• On 23 and 29 October 2020, 5,856 emails were sent to drivers non-compliant to the tougher LEZ standards (on the TfL database) to inform them that the emissions standards were changing, to encourage vehicle checking and provide information on the options available to prepare.

   

   

• From 19 November 2020 (planned to run until 18 March 2021), information on the tougher LEZ standards has been included in TfL’s weekly commercial freight bulletin email. This email is sent to c.6,000 customers, weekly, on the TfL database.

   

   

• From 21 January–28 February 2021, advertising includes information about the daily LEZ charge and appears in trade and specialist press titles and digital search advertising. See Appendix 6 for trade and specialist press insertions (attached).

   

   

• On 28 January, 4,619 emails were sent to drivers non-compliant to the tougher LEZ standards (on the TfL database) to inform them that the emissions standards get tougher on 1 March 2021, encourage vehicle checking and provide information on the daily charge and how to pay.

   

   

• From 1-15 March 2021, advertising will inform drivers that the Euro VI emissions standards apply and provides information on the daily charge and asks drivers to find out how to pay. Adverts will run via trade and specialist press titles and digital search advertising. See Appendix 6 for trade and specialist press insertions (attached).

   

   

• Events attended by TfL staff:

   

   

  TfL LEZ bus and coach event, London - 21/1/20

   

  Presentation to Institute of Couriers Heads of Industry meeting -14/5/20

   

  Presentation to Central London Freight Quality Partnership meeting - 20/5/20

   

  Presentation to LoCity conference - 15/9/20

   

  Presentation to Mineral Products Association transport group - 28/10/20

   

  Presentation to Central London Freight Quality Partnership meeting - 24/11/20

   

  Leafletting at Great British Fleet Event, London - 30/12/20

   

  Presentation London First West End Streets steering group - 20/01/21

   

1. All sign locations and information detailed on each sign.

The attached spreadsheet details the sign locations with a summary text explaining what information each sign contains as below:

BS - Boundary Signs - entry signs present at the point of entry at the boundary

ABS - Advanced Boundary Signs - give distance to the zone and help with lane choices and avoiding the zone on the immediate approaches

R - Repeater signs on the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN) inside the zone which act as a reminder and indicate that we use cameras to capture vehicles in the zone.

1. Where any public detailed information is currently available and more specifically where detailed information is available other than the internet.

Offline: customers can contact the TfL call centre for information and queries about the LEZ, Monday to Friday 8am-8pm via phone, textphone, email or post.

Online: detailed information on the LEZ is available on the TfL website - https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/low-emission-zone

1. What resources TFL use to data mine whether or not a vehicle meets the needed standards to gain free entry to the zone and what detailed information from them recourses are used I.E. emissions data held on file and what is used if no such data is held.
2. What process TFL has to follow if a vehicle has been flagged as not meeting the requirements, I.E, what checks have to be done, what human intervention is taken, what is taken into consideration when issuing a PNC.
3. whether records of issued PNC's are kept on the vehicle details or the persons details registered at the time of issue.

For the administration of the schemes for UK registered vehicles, we predominantly use data provided by the DVLA to establish whether a vehicle is subject to the scheme and if so if it meets the required emission standards. The two key items of information we use are the date the vehicle was first registered and the vehicle weights. This generally allows us to establish firstly if the vehicle is actually subject to the scheme and then whether it meets the required emission standards.

The information held by the DVLA may not always be adequate or comprehensive enough to allow us to establish compliance. We therefore supplement this data with information held by other organisations such as The Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders and vehicle manufacturers. In the vast majority of cases this allows us to establish if the vehicle is subject to the LEZ and whether it meets the relevant emission standards.

If a motorists believe that we have incorrectly classified their vehicle then they can contact us and provide evidence to confirm this. Once the evidence is verified the vehicle record will be updated.

If a non-complaint vehicle is used in the LEZ without payment of a charge then a PCN will be issued. On receipt of the PCN the recipient has a right to challenge the penalty by submitting a representation to us. If the representation is rejected there is a further right of appeal to an Independent Adjudicator at London Tribunals.

When we issue a PCN we record the vehicle and keeper details as provided by the DVLA along with details of the time and date the vehicle was observed in the zone. Details are not specifically recorded against the registered keeper or the vehicle.

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.

If you are considering submitting a further FOI request please think carefully about whether the request is essential at this current time, as answering FOI requests will require the use of limited resources and the attention of staff who could be supporting other essential activity. Where requests are made, please note that our response time may be impacted by the current situation.

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

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