Islanders at risk of pollution charges for UK city driving

Transport for London and the UK DVLA have confirmed that their automated number plate recognition systems only recognise Guernsey vehicles as non-UK, and as they do not hold information on the type of engine, will assume they are polluting and may charge accordingly.

‘We would encourage islanders driving Guernsey-registered cars in the UK to familiarise themselves with the different low-emission or congestion charge zones in the UK before travelling through them,’ said Anita Walker, operations manager, economy, infrastructure, environment, and culture at the States.

The London Ulez – Ultra Low Emission Zone – requires drivers of older, more polluting vehicles to pay £12.50 a day to enter central London, or face a fine of £180, which is halved if paid within 14 days.

A French motorist was recently wrongly fined nearly £11,000 for driving his own car within the London zone on a three-day trip, even though the car was fully compliant.

Miss Walker said that Traffic and Highway Services did not share its data with the UK or any other country unless there is a legal requirement to do so, such as in the case of a criminal investigation.

‘Therefore, we have not approached Transport for London, the UK Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency or any other government department about this.’

A total of 18,962 Ulez penalty notices were issued to owners of foreign-registered cars between January and September last year.

It is understood that there have only been eight penalty charges to Guernsey-registered cars within the Ulez since May 2020, but as it is expanding in August to include almost all the area within the M25, this is expected to increase.

Having been established in 2019, when it only covered the tiny central London area that is also covered by the Congestion Charge, the Ulez was expanded in 2021 to cover an area of 380 square kilometres within the North and South Circular roads.

Under the latest plan, from 29 August the Ulez will more than quadruple in size to more than 1,500sq. km, covering the whole Greater London Authority area.

In doing so, it will become nearly 75 times as big as the original Ulez.

Clean air zones, page 2