Ulez camera van fined £110 for parking on pavement illegally

An enforcement camera van for London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) was fined £100 after being caught parking illegally.

The van was obstructing a pedestrian area on Cambridge Road, Kingston, southwest London.

It was spotted by James Giles, an independent borough councillor for New Malden in Kingston, while he was on his way to a meeting with local residents.

Mr Giles said officers were “not above the law” and reported the infringement to a traffic warden and the council.

"It was very clear you should not park there as there were bollards put up," Mr Giles told BBC London.

"TfL and enforcement officers need to know that they are not above the law. They should know better than most people where to park and where not to".

A spokesperson said TfL would remind drivers of their “responsibilities”.

Mr Giles said there had been a number of vans in the area in recent weeks due to vandals targeting Ulez cameras.

Motorists with non-compliant cars must pay £12.50 per day to drive in the zone or face a fine of up to £180.

Ulez, which is aimed at improving air quality, was expanded across outer London at the end of August.

Critics of Ulez say that it penalises less well-off drivers at a time when there is a wider cost of living crisis and some have taken to vandalising its cameras.

Earlier this month the Metropolitan Police said it had received 795 reports of Ulez-related crimes in the past six months, with hundreds of cameras across London being damaged or stolen.

One 52-year-old man was arrested in Bexley last month on suspicion of criminal damage but has been bailed until 19 December finding further enquiries. The man was taken to a South London police station for questioning before being released on bail.

Sadiq Khan, the London mayor, said the expansion was “vital” to improve air quality and necessary to “save lives”.

The UK government says air pollution is the biggest environmental risk to people’s health.