Drivers fork out £16.5m in debt for evading Ulez fines as TfL issues warning - 'Your vehicle will be removed'

TfL has adopted an intelligence-driven strategy to track down offenders, collaborating with national agencies including the Department for Transport and the DVLA to share data more effectively and locate drivers who attempt to avoid payment by changing addresses.

Between January and June 2025, enforcement measures have generated approximately £16.5million in recovered debt from road user charges and penalties, funds that have been channelled back into the transport system.

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Enforcement officers have confiscated more than 530 vehicles from motorists who failed to settle their road user charges and penalties during the first six months of this year.

Of these seized vehicles, over 350 have gone under the hammer at auctions, generating roughly £285,000 in revenue.

The enforcement procedure begins when drivers fail to respond to penalty notices over prolonged periods, prompting court-backed warrants.

Enforcement officers then visit registered addresses to collect outstanding debts, with authority to confiscate assets including vehicles if payment cannot be secured.

In one instance, enforcement officers tracked a persistent offender, who cleared 46 warrants in June by paying nearly £17,000 after enforcement agents made multiple contact attempts.

One particularly egregious case involved a vehicle linked to 88 warrants, where the driver had received over 130 letters and endured 14 visits from enforcement officers before their car was eventually seized and auctioned for £7,000.

The transport authority is even pursuing bankruptcy proceedings against individuals and businesses who persistently refuse to settle their debts, while exploring legal mechanisms to place liens on properties to ensure repayment before any sale can proceed.

The organisation is experimenting with redesigned penalty notices and charge certificates to encourage earlier engagement from drivers.

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These revised documents explicitly outline the enforcement stages, clarify the driver's current position in the process, and detail the financial consequences of continued non-compliance, including escalating charges.

Additional enforcement options under consideration include garnishing wages directly from employers and expanding civil court proceedings to enhance the authority of enforcement agents.

TfL is actively engaging with government officials to explore legislative improvements that would strengthen debt collection capabilities across public bodies.

Alex Williams, TfL's Chief Customer and Strategy Officer, emphasised the scheme's role in addressing London's air quality emergency: "We know that we need bold solutions to tackle the public health crisis and poor air quality in London and Ulez does just that.

"We want to make it clear that if you receive a penalty charge for driving in the zone, you should not ignore it.

"Your penalty will progress to enforcement agents to recover what you owe, and there is a risk that your vehicle and other items of property will be removed."

The latest figures indicate that over 97 per cent of vehicles travelling through London now meet Ulez emission requirements, with TfL encouraging motorists to register for Auto Pay to prevent penalty charges.

TfL continues discussions with government officials about enhancing debt recovery mechanisms, including expanding vehicle seizure powers and addressing registration plate tampering.