TfLtightens ULEZ enforcement with bankruptcy plan for repeat debtors as London-wide scheme continues

London’s transport authority is tightening enforcement of the Ultra Low Emission Zone, outlining plans to pursue bankruptcy proceedings in extreme cases against repeat ULEZ- debtors as part of a broader crackdown. The move comes as the ULEZ, introduced in 2019 to curb pollution in the capital, has drawn sharp political and public scrutiny amid an expansion that now covers all of Greater London.

The enforcement package targets a “specific group of drivers” with long-running ULEZ debts, TfL said, including the possibility of debtors facing bankruptcy proceedings and options to recover funds before the sale of property or even direct deductions from wages. The authority also said it would simplify and clarify penalty charge notices to encourage payment. Non-payment can lead to a traffic offence charge, with penalties escalating to as much as £280 if ignored. The changes are part of Transport for London’s broader effort to boost compliance as the zone, which charges a £12.50 daily fee for non-exempt vehicles, expands its reach.

TfL has reported that roughly 94% of ULEZ debt is linked to a small cluster of motorists with four or more outstanding PCNs, and the total value of unpaid ULEZ PCNs stood at £789 million at the end of the last financial year, up from about £250 million in summer 2023. The agency has said it is increasingly using intelligence-led methods and sharing data with national bodies such as the Department for Transport and the DVLA to track and recover charges. Between January and June, TfL said it recovered £16.5 million in road user charges and seized more than 530 vehicles as part of its enforcement drive.

Alex Williams, TfL’s chief customer and strategy officer, said the authority “needs bold solutions” to address public health and air quality in London, and that ULEZ