Scaffolder’s Legal Win Challenges ULEZ Expansion Plan
By Tom Pyman
In a surprising turn, a scaffolder has secured a legal victory against London’s Low Emission Zone (LEZ), the counterpart to the controversial ULEZ scheme championed by Mayor Sadiq Khan. Noel Willcox, 48, faced fines totaling £11,500 for using a company truck to commute between a depot in Harefield, North West London. The LEZ targets heavily polluting vehicles, with drivers of such vans and HGVs facing potential daily fees of up to £300.
Mr. Willcox, hailing from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, challenged the fines and took his case to a tribunal, which ruled in his favor, citing that Transport for London (TfL) had signs for the LEZ that were not “authorized and lawful.” Expressing his views, he stated, “The Road Traffic Act stipulates that motorists must be informed if they might face charges. However, the low emission zone signs simply read ‘Lez’ or ‘Ulez Zone,’ without adequately conveying the charges.”
While this particular ruling isn’t legally binding in other courts, it could influence future cases, as noted by Nick Freeman, the renowned motoring lawyer dubbed ‘Mr. Loophole’. TfL countered, claiming that the Department of Transport had deemed the signs lawful more than a decade ago. The authority is currently investigating why certain evidence was not submitted during the recent case.
This development coincides with the impending implementation of the London Mayor’s contentious expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone, set to launch tomorrow. Under this scheme, drivers of older, more polluting vehicles will be charged £12.50 per day for entering the city.
Curiously, reports emerged over the weekend of drivers offering residents along a “charge-free corridor” up to £100 per month to use their driveways for parking. This strategic move could save drivers more than £250 per month if they park along specific roads like Moor Lane in Chessington, southwest London. However, the caveat is that once drivers deviate from these roads, the ULEZ charges come into play.
In a quirky twist, motorists on this route must maintain their path, looping around a roundabout and retracing their route to evade charges. Meanwhile, six out of seven local authorities bordering London have declined to sign an agreement with TfL to host ULEZ signs within their territories. These councils, which include Surrey, Kent, Essex, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Thurrock, all led by the Conservative party, have voiced concerns about the financial burdens the ULEZ could place on their residents.
[No emojis were harmed in the making of this article.]