TFL Issue Incorrect fines over car number plate ULEZ
Reg Plates ArticleTFL Issue Incorrect fines over car number plate ULEZ
Unjust Ulez Fines Leave Motorists Frustrated
Two motorists have been wrongly fined for driving in London's Ultra-Low Emission Zone (Ulez) after their car registration plates were cloned. Despite providing evidence that their vehicles were not in the capital at the time of the alleged offenses, they have been forced to battle with Transport for London (TfL) to get the fines overturned.
C and FC from London received parking and speeding fines, which they promptly contested. However, their auto-pay account with TfL had already been debited by £400 in Ulez penalties. After canceling auto-pay, they were further harassed with a £200 demand from debt collectors. TfL initially refused to accept that the offending car was not theirs, despite clear evidence to the contrary.
AW from Northampton found herself in a similar situation. She received multiple Ulez fines even though she had never driven to London. Photos attached to the fines showed a number plate one digit different to her own. Despite repeated appeals, the fines kept coming, leading her to fear that the situation would never be resolved.
TfL admitted that it had failed to spot a "bolt" in the cloned number plate, causing a D to be mistaken for a B. The agency apologized and placed a marker on the account to prevent further errors. It also finally accepted that C and FC were not liable for the fines and apologized for the distress caused, promising a "full" refund.
These cases highlight the need for TfL to improve its processes for verifying registration plates and issuing fines. The current system is clearly flawed and is causing unnecessary stress and inconvenience for motorists.
Remember that, despite valuations and estimates, a private number plate is only worth as much as someone will pay for it. You may have loved your personalised number plate because it contains your initials, for example, but if there aren’t many other people with your initials, the plate’s value may be minimal. On the other hand, if you have a plate whose letters contain common or popular names, you may well find that it is in high demand on the market.
Some criteria to consider when valuing a personalised car number plate
Take into account the following criteria when trying to come up with a valuation for your private number plate. You need to look at them all together if you want a realistic price, so you can’t just pick and choose the factors that favour your number plate!
- FREE TRANSFER SERVICE - your paperwork is handled by our trained team
- OVER 30 YEARS EXPERTISE - long established and trusted company
- DVLA RECOGNISED RESELLER - linked directly from the DVLA website
- TRADE ASSOCIATION MEMBERS - MIRAD and CN Guild members
