Fury over Sadiq Khan's mobile ULEZ units

Fury over Sadiq Khan’s mobile ULEZ units: Stealth cameras which move around could close ‘loophole’ drivers use to avoid being clobbered by fines – meaning there is NO escape from £12.50 penalties

• There are concerns over TfL’s ability to enforce the ruling across all 33 boroughs 

Sadiq Khan’s unpopular ULEZ scheme will be enforced by a ‘stealth’ fleet of camera vans to stop vandalism and leave little wriggle room to avoid the charge.

The vehicles – understood to be similar to the Congestion Charging Mobile Patrol Units – will be used to enforce the disliked levy on motorists.

Their ability to park at different spots to catch drivers also means they will be difficult to vandalise or avoid.

At least 200 of the permanent gadgets – used to charge Londoner £12.50 a day – have been attacked so far.

Mr Khan has said he is confident he will be able to enforce the ruling across the Greater London expansion from August 29.

Hundreds of objectors gathered outside the BBC Broadcasting House in central London over the weekend dressed in high-vis jackets and armed with placards and megaphones to protest against it

It is believed the Ulez charge will be enforced with mobile cameras like these congestion ones

London mayor Sadiq Khan (pictured) admitted that a ‘small number’ of people had been vandalising the cameras and that two had been charged with vandalism offences, facing a court hearings

Some of the signs labelled ULEZ as a ‘scam’ and a ‘highway robbery’ while others brandished the London Mayor as a ‘liar’.  

READ MORE: Sadiq Khan’s hated ULEZ expansion is brought to court today: Five Tory-led councils bring High Court challenge against London Mayor’s ‘unlawful’ plan to extend capital’s ultra-low emission zone that could see drivers charged £12.50 per day

TfL will no longer provide details on just how many cameras were being vandalised, as there is ‘danger of inadvertently giving [vandals] the oxygen of publicity,’ Mr Khan said. 

London’s mayor, whose position is up for reelection next year, tried to downplay concerns that the capital’s drivers could evade the £12.50 levy by working out routes where they won’t be picked up by the cameras.

On TfL’s use of mobile cameras to enforce the congestion charge scheme, Mr Khan told Mayor’s Question Time: ‘In previous schemes, with the C-charge and the Ulez…there was the possibility for there to be mobile cameras as well’.

Conservative member of the London Assembly, Peter Fortune asked the mayor for an update on the topic of Ulez camera vandalism so far and whether it would be ‘feasible’ for London’s transport body to enforce the Ulez rules across all 33 boroughs.

Mr Khan said TfL had good confidence it would be able to enforce the ruling across the Greater London expansion from August 29. 

He told Mr Fortune: ‘If that was your concern in relation to loopholes or routes, it’s not their first rodeo. They have done this before.’

Sadiq Khan could be set to ramp up efforts to enforce his ULEZ scheme with the use of mobile cameras after at least 200 cameras have been vandalised by Londoners so far

The proposed expansion of the Ulez zone (pictured) has angered Londoners

Mr Khan admitted that a ‘small number’ of people had been vandalising the cameras and that two had been charged with vandalism offences, facing a court hearings.

He said: ‘Having taken advice from policing partners and others, TfL has taken the position that it will not be releasing information about the number of cameras that have been subjected to criminal damage.’ 

As a way of trying to dodge vandals, TfL has been using ‘cherry picker’ lorries to place cameras out of reach of civilians.

This came after a number of cameras erected on top of traffic signals were vandalised or removed by angry Londoners. 

Mr Khan said: ‘The number of cameras that TfL originally planned to have by the day of ‘go live’, they still are confident they will have by the date of ‘go live’. They are confident they will get to the number they need to get to by August 29.’ 

London’s transport body is hoping to roll out 1,750 more cameras before the Ulez expands on August 29, however the ‘go live’ date could potentially if the High Court finds Mr Khan broke the law or exceeded his authority in implementing the scheme.

A judgement is expected before the end of the month. 

Demonstrators hold placards against London mayor Sadiq Khan and chant slogans during a rally to protest against the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) at Marble Arch in June

There are doubts over Transport for London’s ability to enforce the Ulez rules across all 33 boroughs

TfL has tried to keep the exact locations of the cameras secret, however opponents to the expansion leaked the details on Facebook groups.

Earlier this month, the High Court was told that the body refused to publish camera locations to avoid vandals taking the cameras down. 

A judicial hearing brought forward by five opposing Tory councils was told that ‘unfortunately, people have a hobby of tearing down the cameras,’ by TfL’s barrister Ben Jaffey KC. 

‘If the exact location of the cameras is mapped, their survival time is greatly reduced,’ he added.

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