AS the ULEZ in London goes through a judicial review, some Londoners are taking matters into their own hands, and covering up the cameras that run them with cardboard boxes and shopping bags!
We’ve only heard about this happening in London, although given us Brit’s love for a bit of passive-aggressive protest, we wouldn’t bet against it happening elsewhere!
The number of cameras across the capital is thought to have increased by around 3,000 units recently, as London mayor, Sadiq Khan, prepares for the planned expansion of the Ultra Low Emissions Zone scheduled for the end of August.
The first protests to the expansion began in March this year, and we’ve heard reports that road users are still taking matters into their own hands and obstructing the view of the ANPR-type cameras. While the move to block the view of the cameras will cause some short-term pain for TfL, which manages the cameras, it will likely clear obstructions fairly quickly as part of its day-to-day maintenance.
The protest is against a £12.50 a day charge for using a non-conforming vehicle in greater London, something that the RAC predicts could affect some 700,000 motorists once the zone expands. The charge would equate to £650 per year if the vehicle is used only once a week. Commuting 5 days a week for 52 weeks a year would incur a charge of £3,250 on top of the road tax the vehicle owner already pays.
The ULEZ is currently going through a judicial review to see if the expansion is legal after five councils pushed back on the plans. You can read about that here.
