Motorists facing incorrect ULEZ charges can now join a national campaign led by Suffolk businessman Ben Lord, who has launched CAZ-ualty UK – Righting Wrong Penalties. Lord aims to gather data on drivers penalized due to vehicle or registration errors in ULEZ, Low Emission Zones, or Clean Air Zones. The initiative seeks to determine the scale of such issues and assist those affected by flawed penalty notices.
Real-world data issues
Ben Lord initiated the campaign following an incident involving his 2015 Mercedes-Benz e350 BlueTEC. The vehicle was initially verified by TfL’s online system as compliant with ULEZ regulations under its original registration. However, after transferring a cherished plate, the vehicle received five ULEZ Penalty Charge Notices from TfL. The DVLA fails to update TfL’s records upon such plate transfers, according to the Road Haulage Association, which has assisted members in resolving fines related to LEZ/ULEZ and DVS compliance due to cherished plate transfers not being reported to TfL.
Motorists are required to notify TfL of any modifications to prevent penalties. In this instance, the vehicle did not satisfy the standards at the moment of charging, even though it had passed the initial assessment. Lord is pushing for an investigation to determine the number of drivers impacted by faulty or outdated compliance data, the count of canceled PCNs, and the total of potentially erroneous fines already paid.
How the system responds
According to the campaign’s explanation, most cases can be resolved by checking the date the vehicle was first registered as new. When a registration is transferred from a non-compliant to a compliant vehicle, there can be a short period where the checker gives an incorrect result. This delay occurs because after the motorist updates the DVLA, it will not appear on TfL’s checker until the next monthly update occurs.
If a motorist queries this, TfL simply asks for evidence that the registration is now being displayed on a compliant vehicle and updates its records. The RHA notes that this administrative lag creates a window where drivers face penalties they should not owe. Drivers are also encouraged to check the vehicle checker after they have swapped a private number plate. Any penalties issued in these circumstances would be cancelled.
