Sadiq Khan 'unwilling to delay' Ulez expansion
Sadiq Khan is facing a ULEZ rebellion with hundreds of cameras vandalised or stolen in just four months.
The Met Police had recorded 288 crimes relating to ULEZ cameras as of August 1.
This includes 185 reports of cables being damaged, 164 cameras being stolen and 38 cameras being obscured.
Commander Owain Richards said: “These are clearly unacceptable acts of criminality and we have a team of officers investigating and identifying those responsible.
“We are providing a proportionate policing response, balancing these incidents against the wide range of operational demand and crime we must respond to across London.
“We are working closely with Transport for London (TfL) and alongside our investigation into offences already committed we are supporting them identify new ways to prevent further cameras from being damaged or stolen.
“We are continually reviewing where we need to focus our efforts and we will continue to do that over the coming weeks to ensure we are providing the service Londoners expect from us.”
Unofficial data by Greenwich resident Chris Brown, who is opposed to the ULEZ expansion, which maps the location of disabled cameras suggests that almost 500 could have been affected.
It also indicates the majority have been in outer London where the zone is being extended to.
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The London Mayor has sparked a backlash over his decision to widen the ULEZ to cover the whole of the capital.
It means more drivers will have to pay the £12.50 daily fee for the most polluting vehicles in a bid to boost air quality from August 29.
A spokesperson for TfL said: “Criminal damage to the cameras puts the perpetrators at risk of prosecution and life-changing injuries, while simultaneously risking the safety of the public.”
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