Free Traffic Legal Advice

Good evening - I am back.

Looking for next step advice please.

I wrote to DVLA and TFL and they won't give me a date on which the TFL database was updated - just a confirmation that TFL get their data from DVLA.
"Thank you for your recent correspondence received on 15 August 2025, regarding your Ultra Low Emission Zone
(ULEZ) T30JDC.
Please be advised that as the your vehicle registration T30JDC has been updated directly by Driver and Vehicle
Licensing Agency (DVLA) we do not hold this information and we are unable to give you the exact date the DVLA has
added it to our system.
We would therefore advise you contact them directly to request this information."

So I wrote to DVLA and got confirmation that their records updated 14th April 2025.

I then wrote a LBA to TFL and sent it tracked signed for - Nov 3rd.

I have now waited long enough before I want to claim me monies.......

I went to MCOL to find out I can't use it against TFL,

So with my begging bowl out  - what would be the next step please?

Thanks

Bumper

Hi,

I have had a response from TFL, basically they are telling me they will only say it is compliant, and they "can't" say the date from which it is compliant:

Thank you for your recent correspondence received on 15 August 2025, regarding your Ultra Low Emission Zone
(ULEZ) T30JDC.
Please be advised that as the your vehicle registration T30JDC has been updated directly by Driver and Vehicle
Licensing Agency (DVLA) we do not hold this information and we are unable to give you the exact date the DVLA has
added it to our system.
We would therefore advise you contact them directly to request this information.
If you have any questions, please visit tfl.gov.uk/ulez or call us on 0343 222 2222 (text phone 0207 649 9123 if you
have impaired hearing).

Shall I chase DVLA for this info? Or shall I just go with Mr 404's approach?

Thanks

Bumper

You posted: Why someone doesn't look at this and the fact that the car has "always" been compliant should negate any fine, paid or otherwise?

Because you are going about this the wrong way IMO.

Simply ask TfL whether VRM ***** is compliant and when this took effect. Time lags in updating systems are NOT the motorist's concern, they're TfL's.

If TfL had no lawful authority to demand a penalty in the first place, then whether payment was made or not is irrelevant. But you would need to face them with their own evidence - their response to you(and you might need to coax this out of them) - to do this IMO.

I get this now, sorry for it to take so long to sink in.....

1st message sent as per your recommendation

Just for clarity, when we say write to TFL, doews this have to be snail mail?

Thanks

B

Just to keep you all in the loop,

I have had a response to my appeal.

Basically they say I had 28 days to appeal, and unless I can prove there is a valid reason, such as medical or out of the country, as to why I didn't appeal in the 28days, the fine is paid and the matter is closed - an unsurprising technicality!

This is the hell I was expecting, I am hoping that I can get to speak to someone with a bit of common sense on Monday.

I went down the email appeals route, because I had to forward the letter of approval from my lease company.

Why someone doesn't look at this and the fact that the car has "always" been compliant should negate any fine, paid or otherwise?

Once again thanks for your comments

Edited after reading Mr Andersen's comments a little more closely

Thanks for the reply.

The lease company just paid the fines, they will charge me £200 for the privilege, including their charges.

They had then let me know 6 weeks later.

I am hoping to contact both the lease company and TFL tomorrow, I was just looking if there is some recourse here?
I have a horrible feeling TFL will just say tough.