At a glance
• A Kia Ceed owner accrued £107,980 in fines for repeatedly dodging London’s Ulez and congestion charges, while the owners of a BMW X5 and Renault Grand Scenic racked up 270 and 207 penalties respectively
• TfL is pursuing all cases, with vehicles likely to be impounded and sold if debts remain unpaid; it has already seized over 530 vehicles and raised £285,000 in 2025
• Around £800 million in unpaid charges is owed to TfL, though 97 per cent of vehicles comply with Ulez rules
The most prolific dodgers of the London congestion charge and Ulez clean air levy have been revealed.
The owner of a Kia Ceed family saloon has clocked up a total debt of £107,980, owed as a result of receiving 432 penalty tickets for failing to pay the Ulez (ultra-low emission zone) and congestion charge levies between January and September this year.
Information published by Transport for London revealed that the car was spotted on 167 occasions in central London when the £15 C-charge was not paid, and on 265 days in Greater London in which the £12.50 Ulez levy was not paid.
It is possible that the car driver incurred C-charge and Ulez fines on the same day.
TfL also revealed that the owner of a BMW X5 sports utility vehicle (SUV) had clocked up 270 fines – each with a face value of £180 – for failing to pay the Ulez, while the owner of a Renault Grand Scenic hatchback had received 207 C-charge penalty tickets, resulting in a debt of £56,580.
TfL, which released the details in response to a freedom of information request, said it was pursuing the drivers in each of the cases.
It is likely that the cars will be impounded until the debts are paid – and sold if the drivers involved refuse to pay up.
Under data protection rules, TfL said it was unable to disclose the identities of the vehicle owners, nor the dates or locations of where the fines were incurred.
In September, The Standard revealed that about £800million was owed to TfL by motorists who have refused to pay Sir Sadiq Khan’s Ulez
The vast majority of vehicles driven in London – more than 97 per cent - are compliant with the Ulez’s exhaust emission rules and their drivers do not have to pay the daily charge.
But drivers of older vehicles that do not meet the emission standard do have to pay – and face fines of £180 a day if they fail to do so.
About 28,500 drivers a day pay the Ulez – but 5,000 fail to do so and are sent a PCN (penalty charge notice).
The congestion charge was introduced by the first modern-day mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, in 2003. It is due to increase to £18 a day from January 2026.
The Ulez was introduced in central London by Sir Sadiq in February 2019 and expanded across all 33 boroughs in August 2023.
TfL is making greater use of civil action as part of a tougher approach to enforcing the Ulez.
In the most extreme cases, this could lead to bankruptcy proceedings for an individual or business if they refuse to settle.
Alternatively, TfL could seek to recover earnings from an individual's employer.
TfL recouped about £16.5m in unpaid road charges from the first six months of 2025.
Between January and June this year, more than 530 vehicles have been seized from drivers who have failed to pay road user charges and penalties.
More than 350 have been sold at auction, with more than £285,000 being raised through sales as a result.
A TfL spokesperson said: “Most drivers with vehicles liable for the Ulez and congestion charges are responsible and pay. It is only a small group of persistent evaders who fail to do so – deliberately flouting the rules and showing no regard for those that live, work and learn in the capital.
“We take all necessary steps to collect outstanding PCNs, including using our contracted enforcement agents to collect outstanding penalties on our behalf.
“We always aim to resolve instances of persistent evasion swiftly, but more complex cases can require further time and intelligence-gathering. We deploy an intelligence-led approach alongside enforcement action, which can include additional work to trace the vehicle and the debtor.
“As part of our wider approach, we are also making greater use of powers and working with government to strengthen measures that will bring those who persistently fail to pay the charge to account.”
