London’s Dodgy ULEZ Signs: Riders Still Getting Stung

If you ride in London, you’ll already know the pain of the ULEZ. Whether you’re on a 125 that doesn’t quite scrape through the emissions test, or you’ve got an older but perfectly roadworthy machine that the system says is dirty, the charge stings. 

What’s worse is that, according to a string of court cases, the very signs telling you about the scheme are unlawful. And yet, Transport for London (TfL) carries on regardless.

This week, scaffolding company boss and all-round thorn in TfL’s side, Noel Willcox, was back in court for the third time. He’s already beaten the suits twice, proving that both LEZ and ULEZ signage across London doesn’t meet the legal standards. That’s right, the very warning signs meant to tell you you’re entering the zone are technically illegal. Despite this, TfL is still happily cashing in.

Willcox, whose company vehicles have racked up a claimed £11,500 in fines, says TfL is using “bully boy tactics” to ignore previous rulings. In 2021 and 2023, he won his cases, only to find TfL ploughing on, business as usual, and sending in the fines regardless. He’s not the only one, either – riders and drivers all over the city are paying charges and penalties thanks to signs that the courts have said don’t meet the proper standard.

But this latest round hasn’t gone his way. The Judge sided with TfL’s argument that stopping the scheme would be too costly and would harm London’s air quality. In other words, yes, the signs might not be legally correct, but fixing the problem would be too disruptive - read that as expensive. So, the charges keep flowing in, and the motorcyclists, van drivers, and truckers footing the bill are left high and dry.

To add insult to injury, costs were awarded against Willcox – the man who’s already shown, twice, that the signage is unlawful. He does have the right to appeal to a higher court, but it’s another round of legal fees stacked on top of everything else.

Howard Cox from FairFuelUK called it a “David and Goliath” battle – the establishment with its lawyers and deep pockets grinding down the little guy. He reckons the ruling “stinks”, and to be fair, if you’re a biker who’s ever had one of those dreaded TfL letters through the post, it’s hard not to agree.

For motorcyclists, the sting comes in two parts: if your bike doesn’t meet the required Euro 3 emissions standard, you’ll be hit with the daily ULEZ charge of £12.50 every time you ride within the zone. Miss paying, and things escalate fast, with TfL slapping you with a £180 penalty charge, which is halved to £90 if you cough up within 14 days. For commuters and delivery riders clocking in and out of central London, that can quickly add up to hundreds of pounds a month, simply for using a machine that might be perfectly roadworthy but happens to fall foul of the rules.

The takeaway is simple: the system is stacked against you. Whether or not the signs are lawful, the charges will still land on your doormat. And unless something changes in court, Sadiq Khan and TfL seem happy to keep fleecing London’s motorists – two wheels included.

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