Sadiq Khan could be set to ramp up efforts to enforce his ULEZ scheme with the use of mobile cameras after at least 200 cameras have been vandalised by Londoners so far.
The move has sparked concern amongst sceptics over whether Transport for London (TfL) will be able to implement the mayor’s clean air directive.
Sadiq Khan said that TfL will no longer provide details on just how many cameras were being vandalised, as there’s the danger of inadvertently giving vandals the oxygen of publicity.
London’s mayor, whose position is up for re-election next year, attempted to de-emphasise concerns that the capital’s drivers could avoid the £12.50 levy by working out ways where they won’t be picked up by the cameras.
On TfL’s use of mobile cameras to implement the congestion charge scheme, Sadiq Khan told Mayor’s Question Time that in previous schemes, with the C-charge and the Ulez, there was the possibility for there to be mobile cameras as well.
Conservative member of the London Assembly, Peter Fortune asked the mayor for an update on the topic of Ulez camera vandalism so far and whether it would be feasible for London’s transport body to enforce the Ulez rules across all 33 boroughs.
Sadiq Khan said TfL had good confidence it would be able to enforce the ruling across the Greater London expansion from August 29.
He told Mr Fortune that was his concern in relation to loopholes or routes, it’s not their first rodeo and that they’ve done this before.
Sadiq Khan revealed that a slim number of people had been vandalising the cameras and that two had been charged with vandalism offences and were facing court hearings.
He said that having taken advice from policing partners and others, TfL had taken the position that it wouldn’t be releasing details about the number of cameras that had been subjected to criminal damage.
As a way of attempting to circumvent vandals, TfL has been using ‘cherry picker’ lorries to position cameras out of reach of civilians.
This came after a number of cameras pitched on top of traffic signs were vandalised or removed by furious Londoners.
Sadiq Khan said that the number of cameras that TfL originally planned to have by the day of ‘go live’, they’re still confident they will have by the date of ‘go live’. They’re confident they will get to the number they need to get by August 29.
It’s evidently clear by the amount of vandals that people don’t want the ULEZ charge, and why would they, it’s costing them a fortune. Come to that they don’t want Sadiq Khan either, but the majority of people are irrelevant to Sadiq Khan and the government’s opinion.
Sadiq Khan really isn’t endearing himself, is he? But then this is what you get when you give someone with a brain some authority.
Doesn’t he realise that fighting the people is a sure way not to get re-elected? Unless the voting is rigged. I used to believe that this country was honest but I now believe it’s corrupt to the core.
Hidden cameras, is this not against the law and wouldn’t this be classed as covert recording?
It appears that the government will tax you on whatever they like, what will it be next, fresh air? No doubt, they will come up with a strategy for that, if they haven’t already done so.
It’s all about dictatorship and going against what the people really want, and then attempting to conceal the reality that it’s a dictatorship, this must stop or society will fail.
THE MONTHLY MOSQUITO 