Driver says ‘they’re not getting a penny!’ as he’s handed £90 fine despite following rules

The Ultra Low Emission Zone was extended across Greater London in 2023 (Image: Getty)

A London driver has been handed an Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) fine of £90 despite driving a car compliant with regulations. Many drivers have lamented ULEZ rules since they came into existence in 2019. Mayor Sadiq Khan extended the restriction zone to the whole of Greater London in 2023, covering an area of around nine million people.

This week, one driver reported having been hit with a fine despite saying he was abiding by the rules. X user @HarryJohnRutter claimed on the social media platform: “Been given a £90 ULEZ fine by @TfL for driving a ULEZ-exempt vehicle into London. Laughable exchange on the phone where I was told I could have ‘switched my reg to an exempt car after getting the fine’, despite of course a basic car check showing the plate hasn’t changed vehicles.” He went on to claim he had submitted a screenshot from the Transport for London (TfL) website to show his car was exempt, but “that isn’t good enough”.

Since 2023, the ULEZ area covers an area of around nine million people (Image: Getty)

Instead, TfL reportedly asked for a copy of the driver’s logbook, a copy of the number plate certificate and a letter from the manufacturer BMW to prove it is ULEZ compliant. He described the events as “crazy, right?” in the thread.

The driver added: “I’ll conclude this rant by saying I drove into London in October last year and @TfL have only just got round to replying my first line of contact explaining the car is exempt from ULEZ. So confusing.”

He said it was “safe to say” TfL would not be receiving money for the fine, “even if it kills me”.

Speaking to GB News, TfL said it was sorry for the “incorrect charge” and confirmed it had cancelled the fine, as well as getting in touch with the driver to apologise for his experience.

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A TfL spokesperson continued: “We receive updates from the DVLA on a four-weekly basis, ensuring we have the latest data on vehicle compliance available.

“However, there may sometimes be customers who have swapped private number plates who find that their new vehicle is not included in the latest update and will unfortunately be registered as non-compliant until the following update a month later.

“Should any customer find this has happened to them, we urge them to contact us as soon as possible with the appropriate documentation so we can ensure their vehicle is registered as meeting the standards.”

The spokesperson added drivers should check their online vehicle checker after they have swapped a private number plate, and anyone noticing an error on the website should get in touch in order for records to be updated.

The social media user confirmed on X he had received a “full apology” from TfL.