Request ID: FOI-2290-2122 Date published: 26 January 2022
You asked
Please advise the following:
1: How many ULEV related PCNs have been issued to vehicles registered outside of the GLR (since the expansion of the affected zone)?
2: What proportion of ULEV PCNs are associated with vehicles registered outside the GLR (since the expansion of the affected zone)?
3: What proportion of vehicles registered outside of the GLR using the ULEZ are issued with a PCN?
4: What proportion of the newly installed (expanded area) ULEZ signs are fitted with illumination?
5: How many letters advising of the expanded ULEV zone were issued to drivers outside of the GLR?
6: Were any notices (billboards / hoarding) regarding the expansion of the ULEV placed outside the GLR, where and how many?
Clarification received 13/01/2022: By GLR I refer to the Greater London Region, the administrative area which makes up the Greater London Authority. I am looking for information that covers those areas not normally considered to be “Greater London” in the broadest sense, so any suitable definition such as “outside the M25 circle” would be equally useful, so long as the basis is identified in the answer.
You are correct – for ULEV read ULEZ.
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-2290-2122
Thank you for your request of 8th January 2022 - clarified on 13th January 2022 - asking for information about the Ultra Low Emission Zone (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. Your questions are answered in turn below:
Question 1: How many ULEZ related PCNs have been issued to vehicles registered outside of the GLR (since the expansion of the affected zone)?
And;
Question 2: What proportion of ULEV PCNs are associated with vehicles registered outside the GLR (since the expansion of the affected zone)?
Answer: Note that during the first month following expansion of the ULEZ warning notices, rather than PCNs, were issued to owners of non-compliant vehicles who had driven in the zone but not paid the charge. Full details are available in our ULEZ “First Month Report” which is available online here:
The first PCN was issued on 22nd November 2021. We will be publishing ULEZ PCN volumes in our next ULEZ Quarterly Factsheet which will cover the period October – December 2021. This will be published around mid-February and will be available online at:
The requested information is therefore exempt from disclosure at the current time under section 22 of the Freedom of Information Act, which can apply where information is ’intended for future publication’. This is a ‘qualified’ exemption, meaning we have to assess whether the public interest in applying the exemption outweighs the public interest in immediate disclosure. In this instance we consider that the public interest favours the publication of this information in context and according to the pre-determined schedule, rather than in response to your request. With publication intended in a relatively short period of time (a matter of weeks) we do not see a compelling case to publish it outside of the planned process.
Question 3: What proportion of vehicles registered outside of the GLR using the ULEZ are issued with a PCN?
Answer: When a vehicle is driven in the ULEZ and the charge is paid we do not obtain information on where the vehicle is registered. Therefore we do not hold this information.
Question 4: What proportion of the newly installed (expanded area) ULEZ signs are fitted with illumination?
Answer: The requirements for sign illumination are set out in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 and all our traffic signs meet those standards. ULEZ signs, like many signs, do not require illumination by a separate powered lighting unit. Instead, modern retro-reflective materials are used which ensure a vehicle’s headlights illuminate the sign face during the hours of darkness and help to contribute to power savings, carbon reduction and streetscape objectives. For the ULEZ scheme we have specified the highest grade of retro-reflective material.
Question 5: How many letters advising of the expanded ULEV zone were issued to drivers outside of the GLR?
Answer: 1,068,486 letters were sent to registered keepers of non-compliant vehicles seen in the zone via the DVLA during July, August, September and October 2021. TfL does not hold details of the registered keepers, so we are unable to advise how many of these letters reached drivers outside the Greater London region. In addition to the letters we sent over 5 million emails to customers registered on the TfL database during the period October 2020 and October 2021. During this period, c2.5 million registered TfL customers who do not have a London Postcode associated with their TfL record were sent emails.
Question 6: Were any notices (billboards / hoarding) regarding the expansion of the ULEV placed outside the GLR, where and how many?
We did not run any posters outside of London. However, note that TfL ran a large-scale multi-channel information campaign targeting both private and commercial vehicle owners in both London and the surrounding areas with the aim of raising awareness about the expansion of the zone. The campaign launched on 5th October 2020 giving drivers over a year to prepare for the expansion on 25th October 2021. Advertising has continued to run post the zone expanding and will continue to do so until March 2022. The messaging explains where and how the expanded ULEZ will operate, the hours of operation, which vehicles are affected and the required emissions standards, where to check a vehicle, and the cost of the daily charge and how to pay should their vehicle not meet the required emissions standards. There is also detailed information on the TfL website including a downloadable leaflet and maps.
The following advertising channels were used to raise awareness and provide detailed information, reaching drivers in London and surrounding areas: Radio - Our radio adverts ran on the following stations: Absolute Radio, Capital London, Gold London, Heart London, Jazz FM, Kiss (London and network), LBC, Magic and Radio X London, Sunrise and Smooth London. The airtime has an overspill of 25-30 miles radius outside of London subject to the terrain.
Television and video on demand –From 4th to 24th October 2021an advert explaining where the expanded zone would operate, the launch date and how to check your vehicle appeared on ITV, Channel 4, London Live and video on demand channels. Whilst the airtime was predominately aimed at London, ITV and Channel 4 airtime has an overspill of up to 50 miles outside of London subject to the terrain.
Roadside posters -These ran in London with adverts at key roadside locations, on bus shelters and large format cross-track posters on the tube running from Oct 2020. Posters also appeared on the public transport network.
Specialist presstitles - adverts appeared in the following national titles: What Van? Business Car, Fleet World, Van Fleet World, Van User, Electrical Contracting News, Electrical Time Magazine, Heating and Plumbing Monthly, Motorcycle News, What Car? And Route One. Pan London and regional press titles - adverts appeared in the Evening Standard and Metro and in the following regional press titles:Barnet Borough Times, Brent & Kilburn Times, Bromley & Lewisham News Shopper, Barking & Dagenham Post, Camden New Journal, Docklands & East London Advertiser, Enfield Independent, Greenwich Info, Richmond Times, Ilford & Woodford Recorder, Islington & Hackney Gazette, Islington Tribune, Newham & Stratford Recorder, Southwark News, Wandsworth & Wimbledon Times, West London Gazette, Wharf Life, KCW Today, Your Local Guardian.
Social mediaand online video – social media adverts ran on Facebook and Instagram and online video targeted London drivers via third party websites providing visual clarity on the area where the ULEZ expands up to.
Google search adverts - directed those interested to the TfL website for further information and to check their vehicle using the online vehicle compliance checker.
Digital display adverts – including via Waze, a wayfinding navigation app, providing information to drivers of the new expanded boundary and where it operates.
Digital radio – within London targeting “London auto owners” and priority London boroughs with high levels of non-compliant vehicles. In addition to the advertising we also carried out the following: Engagement with stakeholders - Meetings were held with national bodies including the RAC, AA, British Vehicle Rental and Licensing Association, British Retail Confederation, National Market Traders Federation, the Royal College of Nurses, the TUC, and most of these included pieces on the ULEZ expansion in their national and/or regional publications.
Press– A number of press releases were issued during the course of the campaign and they achieved widespread coverage. A number of articles appeared in national broadsheets such as the Financial Times, The Times, Guardian and Independent. There were a series of media events that resulted in the BBC and ITV interviewing the Mayor of London about the ULEZ, and it was discussed on BBC London Radio and LBC. Face to face leafleting - took place for 6-weeks from Saturday 28th August to Friday 15th October. The activity focussed on locations with high natural footfall such as shopping centres, with 80,000 leaflets distributed across 22 London boroughs.
Leaflet door drop - 633,659 leaflets were distributed between 11th and 28th January 2021 to residents living within a 1.1km radius outside the boundary and 1.875km radius inside the boundary of the expanded zone. Signage – early warning signage was installed at entrances to the expanded zone between July and September 2021, explaining the ULEZ was coming on 25th October 2021. In addition, around 130 electronic variable message signs, on main roads throughout London were used to raise awareness of the start date of the scheme. These appeared two weeks ahead of the zone expanding and remained in place two weeks after the expansion. This was followed by permanent signage at every entry point along the boundary and along key arterial approaches.
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,
David Wells FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
