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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
John Dunne

Drivers 'wrongly fined' after Chingford Ulez camera damaged by vandals

Drivers have been mistakenly fined after a camera was “misaligned” due to vandalismTransport for London (TfL) has admitted.

An ANPR device in Forest Road in Chingford was vandalised and pointed outside the Ulez boundary, a meeting at City Hall was told.

Some drivers were hit with penalty notices even though they were actually driving outside the zone.

Sadiq Khan was told of the issue during Mayor's Question Time at City Hall on Thursday, MyLondon reported.

Tory London Assembly Member, Emma Best, told Mr Khan: "Mr Mayor, recently we've had issues with cameras being tilted on to non-ULEZ roads, and residents ticketed, and their objections rejected by TfL.

"I would think this would be one of the easiest cases of an appeal to get right. Please can you have a review? Because it's caused a lot of distress to a lot of people."

The mayor replied: "I'm more than happy to, Chair. I wasn't aware of that. Can you, after the meeting, just ping me an email in relation to that?"

"Criminal damage to ULEZ cameras puts the perpetrators at risk of prosecution and injury, while simultaneously risking the safety of the public. Camera vandalism will not stop the ULEZ operating London-wide. All vandalised cameras are repaired or replaced as soon as possible.”

It is understood the penalty notices have been rescinded.

Hundreds of incidents of vandalism against the cameras have been reported.

The controversial expansion of the scheme was met with huge protests. In one incident in Sidcup, south east London, a camera was blown up by and improvised explosive Device (IED).

The Ulez charge is £12.50 and the zone was expanded from central London boroughs in August 2023.

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