The staggering amount TfL made from ULEZ fines last year

The staggering amount Transport for London made from ULEZ fines last year has been revealed by a freedom of information request. Figures show that ULEZ has been becoming an increasingly big earner for TfL over the years.

Last year alone, between August 2023 and August 2024, TfL made a shocking £259.14 million from ULEZ revenue including penalty charge notices. This was an increase of £68.67 million on the previous 12 months.

LEZ charges also proved to be a significant earner, with TfL making £12.05 million from them last year. However, this was a drop from the previous 12 months in which they earned £15.57 million in LEZ revenue.

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Overall, ULEZ revenue has increased by over £200 million over the last three years. In October 2021 the ULEZ zone was expanded from just the congestion charge zone up to the North and South Circular, while in August 2023 it was extended across all London boroughs.

The scheme charges drivers who do not meet the relevant ULEZ/LEZ requirements a daily fee to drive in the zone. If this is not paid, they are then liable to receive a penalty charge notice.

The data also showed that residents in one London borough received fines more often than any other. Registered vehicle keepers in Barking and Dagenham received 57,788 penalty charges notices for LEZ and ULEZ between August 2023 and September 2024.

They were followed by registered keepers in Barnet (41,233 fines issued) and Bexley (35,054 fines issued). A grand total of 1,084,706 fines were issued during the period.

One vehicle was even revealed to have acquired £322,318 in LEZ fines last year. The largest amount for fines given to one vehicle recorded in the data was for £626,000 in LEZ fines, in the period of August 2022 to August 2023.

The expansion of the ULEZ in August 2023 was wildly controversial at the time. Anti ULEZ groups popped up across the city.

Nowadays, self-proclaimed ULEZ ‘vigilantes’ still make themselves known across London. ULEZ cameras have often been seen ripped up and damaged by those who oppose the scheme.

However, proponents of the scheme argued that the expansion of the zone would help with air pollution in the city. According to TfL there were 4,000 premature deaths attributed to toxic air in 2019.

A spokesperson for TfL said: “Data shows that more than 96 per cent of all vehicles recorded driving in the zone are now compliant, with a 53 per cent reduction in non-compliant vehicles driving on an average day in the first six months of the ULEZ expansion compared to June 2023. Only 0.27 per cent of vehicles driving in the zone receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).

“Any income generated from the scheme is being reinvested back into public transport, including improving bus routes in outer London. The expanded ULEZ will lead to cleaner air while generating ever smaller net revenues, as has been the case with the previous expansion to inner London where people switched to greener vehicles.”

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