A Transport for London mobile camera van used to enforce the Ultra Low Emission Zone has been caught parking illegally in South London and slapped with a fine.
A fleet of vans has been driving around the capital to make sure vehicles are sticking to the ULEZ rules since Mayor of London Sadiq Khan expanded the scheme to all boroughs at the end of August.
Kingston Independent councillor James Giles said he spotted the van parking illegally on the pavement on Cambridge Road in Norbiton on October 17 in a video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
After he reported the vehicle, he said, a parking enforcement officer “swiftly” came out and issued it with a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).
Councillor Giles added it was “entirely inappropriate and unacceptable for enforcement vans to be illegally parking on Kingston’s streets” and that he hoped TfL had “got the message”.
TfL said it would remind drivers of their responsibilities and that its contractor would pay the fine.
Councillor Giles told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) vehicles operating on behalf of TfL “really ought to know better than most where it’s legal to park and where isn’t”.
He said the route was used by people walking to and from school, and that parking on the pavement in such a way posed a “pedestrian risk”.
He added he was pleased TfL had confirmed its contractor would pay the fine.
ULEZ expanded to cover all London boroughs on August 29, including Kingston. People have to pay a £12.50 daily charge to drive in the zone if their car does not meet certain emissions standards.
A TfL spokesperson said: “TfL fully supports the use of highway authority powers to enforce against parking in unauthorised locations. We will remind drivers of their responsibilities and our contractor, who will be paying the penalty charge notice.”
