Request ID: FOI-2129-2223 Date published: 21 December 2022
You asked
Please can you supply the following information relating to the ULEZ.
Since 25 Oct 2021 when ULEZ was expanded to the north/south circular, please can you provide figures showing:
a) How many cars/people paid the ULEZ charge prior to entering the zone?
b) How many cars entered the ULEZ zone and then subsequently paid the charge afterwards?
c) Total receipts from ULEZ payments during the period.
d) How many charges were paid despite drivers/cars not entering the ULEZ?
I’d like to find out how many drivers/people accidentally paid the ULEZ charge despite not entering the ULEZ.
e) Lastly, for those who may have paid despite not entering ULEZ, is this money paid back?
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-2129-2223
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 24 November 2022, asking for information about ULEZ.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require. You asked:
How many cars/people paid the ULEZ charge prior to entering the zone?
How many cars entered the ULEZ zone and then subsequently paid the charge afterwards?
The ULEZ can be paid up to 90 days in advance or up to midnight on the third day after the journey into the zone. The most common payment method is through Auto Pay. This is when motorists are registered with us and are automatically billed monthly for their journeys into the zone.
The table below shows the number of charges paid per quarter for by Auto Pay, pre pay and post pay.
Autopay
Pay after date of journey
Paid prior to journey
2021
1843184
381960
623230
Qtr4
1843184
381960
623230
2022
7647062
1465749
2008656
Qtr1
2275709
414960
589719
Qtr2
2185796
416815
565612
Qtr3
1997225
398031
525941
Qtr4
1188332
235943
327384
Grand Total
9490246
1847709
2631886
Total receipts from ULEZ payments during the period.
ULEZ income is published per financial year and is detailed in our annual statement of accounts. The latest statement covers the financial year 2021/22. A link to our latest report is available here Annual Report and Statement of Accounts 2021/22 (tfl.gov.uk) and ULEZ income is on P.140.
In accordance with section 21 of the FOI Act, we are not obliged to supply you with a copy of the requested information as it is already accessible to you elsewhere.
How many charges were paid despite drivers/cars not entering the ULEZ?
Lastly, for those who may have paid despite not entering ULEZ, is this money paid back?
It may be useful if we outline how we operate the Congestion Charging and Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) charging schemes. Both schemes operate using Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology. Each entry point to, and exit from, the zones are clearly signed and as a vehicle enters, leaves, or drives within the zone its registration is recorded along with an image of the vehicle.
When the three day 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 charges or listed on an Auto Pay account. Where a match is found the image and record of the vehicle is deleted. If no match is found the details are retained for enforcement purposes.
As the record of vehicles which have driven in the zone is not verified until the payment period has expired we are unable to offer a service whereby motorists can immediately verify if they have driven in the zone. In addition as the records of vehicles for which a charge has been paid are deleted we are unable to retrospectively verify whether a vehicle, for which a charge has been paid, has been in the zone.
The regulations governing the Congestion Charge and the ULEZ do not facilitate the refunding of unused daily charge payments.
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any 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 Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
