Hemma Visavadia
Guest Reporter
Thousands of London taxi drivers have been wrongly hit with penalty charges for entering Ulez and Congestion Charge areas, despite being exempt from fees.
A Freedom of Information request to Transport for London revealed that 7,563 incorrect penalty notices were issued to cab drivers due to an IT glitch.
The Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association (LTDA) warned that the wave of wrongful fines has caused significant concern among drivers, with many worried about escalating penalties.
Drivers can be fined £180 if they are falling foul of the rules, although it can be dropped to £90 if paid within 14 days. According to TfL's exemption list, licensed black cab drivers do not need to pay the Ulez or the Congestion Charge.
Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
The errors impacted vehicles entering the zones in late September and early October. Steve McNamara, general secretary of the LTDA, told the Telegraph their phone systems were overwhelmed by concerned drivers unable to reach TfL.
"Our phone systems are in meltdown because our members cannot get in touch with TFL. Thousands of my members have been affected by this. We've had over 500 calls this morning alone," McNamara said.
The taxi body reported that some drivers, worried about escalating fines, were considering paying the penalties just to "make them go away". The situation has been particularly stressful for drivers as unpaid penalties can quickly increase and potentially lead to bailiff involvement.
McNamara added: "Members are struggling to get through to TFL so they're all ringing us and consequently our phones are jumping off the hook... this should not have happened."
The issue stemmed from an error with TfL's "whitelist" system, which typically ensures licensed black cabs are automatically exempt from charges.
A routine data upload error disrupted this system, causing automated letters to be sent out accusing drivers of wrongly entering the zones.
TfL has acknowledged the mistake and issued an apology stating: "We are aware that some taxi drivers have received PCNs incorrectly due to a system issue. We have written to vehicle owners to confirm they do not need to take any action, and that any PCNs that have been incorrectly issued will be cancelled."
Fleet operators have been particularly impacted by the wave of incorrect penalties, facing additional administrative burdens, the association warned.
TfL has confirmed it is taking decisive action to address the situation affecting thousands of taxi drivers, writing to all affected vehicle owners confirming they do not need to take any action regarding the incorrect penalties.
All wrongly issued PCNs will be automatically cancelled by the capital's transport authority, according to reports. To be Ulez compliant taxis must meet certain requirements. Petrol cabs must meet Euro 4 emissions targets while diesel cars must adhere to Euro 6 emissions.
Petrol cars that meet the standards are generally those first registered as new with the DVLA after 2005, although cars that meet the standards have been available since 2001.
As for diesel cars, they meet the standards if first registered with the DVLA as new after September 2015. Electric cars and many hybrid models are exempt from the fines.
LATEST UPDATES:
- Drivers to see first set of 20mph roads in Wales return to 30mph in major victory for motorists
- British drivers could see thousands of cars recalled amid new investigation into 'dieselgate' fears
- Drivers call for Ulez to be replaced with Paris-style traffic zone that restricts car access - 'Great idea!'
All private hire vehicles including taxis which operate in the Ulez zone need to meet certain emissions standards or pay a £12.50 charge per day, unless they are registered as wheelchair accessible by TfL.
Find Out More...