Request ID: FOI-4553-2324 Date published: 30 April 2024
You asked
Under the Freedom of Act I would like you to supply me with an answer to the following question, broken down into monthly totals.
Q1. For the 6 months upto 29 August 2023
a. How many PCN’s were issued for ulez
b. How many of those PCN’s were cancelled due to the vehicle being or suspected to be ‘cloned’
Q2. For the 6 months after 29 August 2023
a. How many PCN’s were issued for ulez
b. How many of those PCN’s were cancelled due to the vehicle being or suspected to be ‘cloned’
We answered
Our Ref: FOI-4553-2324 Thank you for your email regarding your request for information about penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued for contraventions relating to the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold the information you require. On 29 August 2023 the ULEZ was expanded across all London boroughs. Following the launch of the expansion, between 29 August and 25 September 2023, warning notices were issued to owners of non-compliant vehicles who had not paid the ULEZ charge after driving in the zone. Warning notices were issued to ensure the correct action is taken in the future and to allow for any genuine mistakes that may have occurred. Since 26 September 2023, PCNs have been issued for contraventions. The ULEZ operates through Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology. As a vehicle enters, leaves, or drives within the zone, the registration, along with an image of the vehicle, is recorded by an ANPR camera. At the end of the charge payment period, the list of registrations observed in the zone is compared with the list of vehicles which have had the charge paid, are exempt, or receive a 100% discounted from the charge. Where a match is found the image of the vehicle is deleted in line with our retention schedules. Where no match is found the image is retained for enforcement purposes.
We then contact the DVLA to obtain details of the registered keeper and the vehicle make and model details. Prior to issuing a penalty we verify that the vehicle details provided by the DVLA match the image of the vehicle which we have. Every image is checked by two members of staff before any PCN is issued. Where there is a match a PCN is issued. If the vehicle description provided by the DVLA doesn’t match the image of the vehicle which we have, a PCN will not be issued. On receipt of a penalty a motorist has a statutory right to challenge the penalty by submitting a representation to us. If a motorist contacts us stating that the penalty has been issued due to the vehicle being cloned, there is an established process. We ask for evidence such as specific pictures and a crime reference number. On receipt of satisfactory evidence, the representation will be accepted and the PCN cancelled. Our policy is for no PCN to progress after evidence of vehicle cloning has been provided. If no evidence is provided, or we are unable to verify the claim that the vehicle has been cloned, the representation will be rejected. When a representation is rejected, the motorist is granted a right of appeal to an Independent Adjudicator at London Tribunals. The table below details the number of PCNs issued and cancelled following a vehicle being reported as cloned. This represents less than 0.8% of all penalties issued. As a cloned vehicle may incur more than one PCN we have also included the number of unique vehicles which have had PCNs cancelled.
Month
ULEZ PCNs Issued
PCNs Cancelled due to being cloned
Unique Vehicle with PCNs cancelled due to being cloned
March 2023
123,711
996
466
April 2023
122,716
915
367
May 2023
125,298
989
412
June 2023
121,581
910
375
July 2023
123,815
881
387
August 2023
102,292
675
306
September 2023
13,470
177
114
October 2023
211,740
1,620
701
November 2023
230,497
1,657
732
December 2023
211,181
1,463
609
January 2024
187,308
1,525
699
February 2024
186,515
939
386
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
