A man has been charged with criminal damage after Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) CCTV cameras were damaged in London.

It follows 96 allegations of criminal damage, which were made to Metropolitan Police by Transport for London (TfL).

A 42-year-old man has been charged with criminal damage and destruction of the cameras.

Detective Superintendent Daniel Smith, whose officers are leading the investigation, said: “We have been proactively targeting those we suspect of causing or seeking to cause damage.

“We are carrying out a thorough investigation and this includes gathering CCTV, speaking to potential witnesses and following up active leads,” he said.

“We are also working with TfL to prevent further offences in the future.”

In a bid to tackle the capital’s pollution, the zone was expanded to the North and South Circular Roads in October 2021. It now covers around four million people – roughly 44% of London’s population.

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Any car entering the ULEZ that does not meet minimum emission standards must pay a daily levy of £12.50.

A City Hall report found the move led to a drastic reduction in harmful air pollution.

Read more:
ULEZ slashes air pollution by 46% in central London
ULEZ: Sadiq Khan’s proposed expansion to face legal opposition

Toxic nitrogen dioxide concentrations are estimated to be 46% lower in central London and 21% lower in inner London than they would have been without the ULEZ.

But the expansion has been met with opposition from those concerned about how the charges will impact drivers and businesses.

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