August 27th 2024.
Last year, the Ulez scheme faced some major setbacks as multiple cameras were damaged and destroyed. It was revealed that a man named Joseph Nicolls was responsible for encouraging people to vandalize these cameras through his Facebook posts. In addition to this, he also confessed to sending a threatening email to Yunex Traffic, the company that provides the cameras for the Ulez scheme.
During the court hearing at Woolwich Crown Court, it was stated that Nicolls' actions were intended to cause distress and anxiety. This was concerning as Yunex Traffic plays a crucial role in the Ulez scheme, as well as other similar schemes in Birmingham and Portsmouth. According to their website, their infrastructure and technology are at the core of the Ulez scheme.
The court documents revealed that Nicolls' Facebook posts were capable of influencing others to commit criminal acts such as damaging or stealing Ulez cameras. This was evident as vigilantes took matters into their own hands and repeatedly targeted the cameras after the Ulez area was expanded to cover all of London. These cameras are essential in monitoring and identifying vehicles that do not meet the minimum emissions standards.
For those unaware, the Ulez scheme requires vehicles that do not meet the emissions standards to pay a daily fee of £12.50 when used in the designated zone. Failure to do so can result in a fine. However, some individuals have taken it upon themselves to sabotage the cameras, as seen in videos posted online where people, known as "Blade Runners", are seen cutting wires or removing the devices entirely.
The Ulez Blade Runners are a secretive activist group that has made it their mission to remove all the Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras used within the Ulez. According to one of their members who spoke to MailOnline, they have already stolen 34 cameras and have a team of over 100 people covering different areas across London. He also mentioned that the damage caused is much more than what has been reported by the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL), estimating it to be in the hundreds.
The cameras play a crucial role in catching drivers who do not meet the required emissions standards and should be paying the fee. However, the actions of the Ulez Blade Runners have been causing significant disruptions. Nicolls' sentencing is set for September 20 at the Woolwich Crown Court. Stay up to date with the latest news from London by visiting The Agency's London news hub.
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