ULEZ ‘Blade Runners’ in action: Moment activist climbs up lamppost and uses a DRILL to pull down enforcement camera as Sadiq Khan slams ‘petty vandalism’
- Member of ‘Blade Runners’ group sabotages £7,000 Ulez camera in Bromley
- Group has been attacking ANPR cameras as Ulez is set to expand on August 29
This is the dramatic moment an activist opposing London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) climbed up a lamppost and used a drill to tear down an enforcement camera.
The footage shows a member of the ‘Blade Runners’ group sabotaging a Ulez camera worth an estimated £7,000 in Bromley, South East London, according to Talk TV.
‘Blade Runners’ is the name given to a secret activist army – named after the 1982 Harrison Ford action movie – that is vandalising and stealing the Ulez cameras.
The covert group has been attacking ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras that catch out drivers using high-polluting vehicles across the capital.
Sadiq Khan’s scheme will force Londoners to pay £12.50-a-day to drive in Greater London from August 29 if their cars do not meet certain environmental standards.
A spokesperson for the London Mayor told MailOnline: ‘It is deeply disappointing to see opposition to a policy being used as an excuse for criminal damage.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=KOzBzVMtse4%3Frel%3D0
A member of the ‘Blade Runners’ group climbs up the post towards the Ulez camera in Bromley
The activist uses a drill to take down the Ulez camera in Bromley after climbing up the post
The ‘Blade Runners’ member takes down the Ulez camera which is worth an estimated £7,000
‘This petty vandalism of London’s essential transport infrastructure is completely unacceptable.’
READ MORE The true cost of Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ expansion for struggling families: How much Londoners will have to fork out to replace their cars – as MPs warn £2,000 offer doesn’t touch the sides
Police said reports of this nature are investigated by officers as part of Operation Eremon, which was launched after allegations of criminal damage were passed to the Metropolitan Police by Transport for London.
Detective Superintendent Daniel Smith, whose officers are leading the probe, said: ‘We have been proactively targeting those we suspect of causing or seeking to cause damage.
‘We are carrying out a thorough investigation and this includes gathering CCTV, speaking to potential witnesses and following up active leads.
‘We are also working with TfL to prevent further offences in the future.’
Some 11 Ulez cameras were reported stolen and 17 more vandalised just last week.
As of last week, there were 1,775 cameras in place – with 2,750 planned for the full expansion of Ulez across all of Greater London which is due to start on August 29.
It comes as as Mr Khan announced a major expansion of financial support designed to ease the impact of the capital’s ultra low emission zone on people’s pockets.
Mr Khan said every Londoner with a polluting car facing charges under Ulez will now be able to receive a grant of up to £2,000 to support an upgrade.
The announcement follows a request made by Sir Keir Starmer for Mr Khan to reflect on how the extension of Ulez to all London boroughs was being carried out.
The expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) is due to come into force on August 29
Mayor Sadiq Khan on board a Transport for London low emission bus today as he reveals an expansion of the scrappage scheme at the Metroline bus garage in Edgware, North London
Demonstrators protest against the Ulez expansion outside the High Court in London on July 29
Signage indicates the boundary of the Ulez scheme beside the South Circular Road in London
The Labour leader blamed concerns around the scheme for his party’s narrow by-election defeat in Boris Johnson’s old Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat last month.
READ MORE Sadiq Khan refuses to ‘water down’ London’s ULEZ scheme despite warning that £2,000 payments to replace older polluting cars is not enough to help struggling families
Mr Khan said while he will not ‘step back, delay or water down’ the policy to tackle air pollution, he is widening the scrappage scheme after listening to residents’ unease about Ulez amid a cost-of-living crisis.
While previously only child benefit recipients, low-income and disabled people were eligible for scrappage grants, from August 21 all Londoners with non-ULEZ compliant cars or motorcycles can apply.
The Labour incumbent in City Hall also announced that small businesses and sole traders can get £21,000 to junk up to three vans, with £27,000 available for charities to replace three minibuses.
More support kicking in today includes higher payments for switching to an electric vehicle, for charities with old vans, and for retrofitting an existing vehicle. Grants for replacing wheelchair accessible vehicles will double to £10,000.
It comes ahead of the Ulez expansion to beyond the capital’s north and south circular roads on August 29.
Drivers of vehicles which do not meet minimum emissions standards are charged a £12.50 daily fee for entering the zone.
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