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Sadiq Khan humiliated as drivers claim compliant cars hit by ULEZ charges
Thousands of drivers with vehicles that meet ULEZ emissions standards have reportedly been wrongly charged since the scheme began in 2019, prompting calls for TfL to refund them and simplify registration. The errors have renewed criticism of the scheme’s administration and fairness, although more than 95% of vehicles driven in the zone are said to comply.
Imported cars, particularly some Japanese models, may not be recognised by TfL’s database, which relies mainly on European emissions ratings; drivers must provide manufacturer evidence to prove compliance. A separate TfL IT glitch reportedly led to more than 46,000 drivers being wrongly fined, including exempt black cab drivers. The daily charge for non-compliant vehicles is £12.50, and the Greater London Authority said the scheme had collected around £394 million by April last year.
In short
- Thousands of compliant vehicles were wrongly charged or fined.
- Some imported cars are missing from TfL’s emissions database.
- TfL says drivers must provide evidence to confirm compliance.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Drivers wrongly charged despite meeting the emissions standards have a strong case for prompt refunds and a simpler process: people should not bear the cost of gaps in TfL’s records or IT systems. Repeated errors, including fines issued to exempt drivers, also raise legitimate concerns about administrative fairness and public trust in the scheme.
The case against
A city-wide emissions scheme can be defended as a way to reduce pollution by encouraging the use of cleaner vehicles, and the reported compliance rate suggests most vehicles driven in the zone meet its standards. Where imported vehicles lack emissions data in TfL’s records, requiring owners to provide evidence may be a practical way to verify compliance, provided genuine errors are corrected and affected drivers are treated fairly.