More than a dozen Ulez enforcement cameras are vandalised or stolen every week, it was revealed on Wednesday.
With less than four weeks to go until the clean air zone is expanded to the Greater London boundary, the Met said it is investigating multiple reports of vigilantes attempting to sabotage Transport for London’s equipment.
The theft of 11 Ultra Low Emission Zone cameras and 17 incidents of vandalism were reported to detectives between July 21 and August 1. At least eight in Chiswick have had their wires cut in recent weeks by so-called “blade runners”.
It follows a spate of attacks earlier this year – with two men being charged with criminal damage in May.
The equipment uses Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology to identify the most polluting vehicles vehicles, that will face a £12.50 daily charge when the Ulez expands to outer London on August 29.
TfL contractors still have almost 1,000 cameras to install before the scheme goes live, while having to contend with vandalism and opposition from some councils to having them erected on local roads.
A City Hall spokesman told the Standard they were “confident” all of the necessary infrastructure would be in place by the end of the month.
Mayor Sadiq Khan said the controversial decision to expand the Ulez “wasn’t easy”, but “we must do everything we can to save the lives of Londoners and protect them from the dangers of toxic air”.
Mr Khan last week won a High Court fight against five Conservative-run councils who failed in their bid to have the scheme declared unlawful.
Other town halls have asked for the plan to be delayed during the cost of living crisis.
Lib Dem leader of Kingston council Andreas Kirsch said: “We urge the Mayor to pause and listen to the concerns of ordinary Londoners who are already being hammered by the cost of living crisis.
“While we support efforts to reduce air pollution, the cost should not fall unfairly on those less able to pay.
“When ULEZ was started in 2020 in central London, residents were given a three year ‘sunset period’, meaning they did not need to comply with the new emissions standards until 2023. The Mayor should consider something similar, to allow residents and small businesses a reasonable amount of time to trade in their non-compliant cars and vans.”
