ULEZ: Video shows ‘phantom sticker man’ covering cameras in west London 

A so-called ‘phantom sticker man’ has been caught on video wrecking havoc with Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) cameras in west London.

The footage, shared via popular X profile UB1UB2 West London, shows the masked individual approaching one of the cameras and placing a sticker over the lens, before walking off.

The person shooting the video then asks “was that a phantom sticker man I just saw there?” and zooms in, with the sticker clearly visible.

The masked character is also caught placing stickers on several other cameras in the area, to further commentary from the person filming.

At least part of the footage appears to have been shot around Freezeland Way, near Hillingdon station. 

Asked whether it was aware of the incident, the Met Police said Transport for London (TfL) is responsible for reporting any criminal damage.

A TfL spokesperson said: “Vandalism is unacceptable and all incidents on our network are reported to the police for investigation. Camera vandalism will not stop the ULEZ operating London-wide. All vandalised cameras are repaired or replaced as soon as possible.

“We have an extensive camera network which is sufficient to support the effective operation of the scheme. Anyone driving a non-compliant vehicle within the expanded zone will be detected and we advise everyone to check whether their vehicle is compliant and to consider the various support that is available to help transition to greener modes of transport.”

They added there are more than 3,400 cameras in-place across the capital.

At the start of November, the Met Police announced almost 1,000 crimes relating to the damage or stealing of ULEZ cameras had been recorded between April 1 and October 31.

A total of 288 were noted up to August 1, before increasing by 795 in the period to September 1, covering the time around the ULEZ expansion in late August.

The latest figures show how in the two months following, up to October 31, recorded cases had dropped significantly, equating to 193 instances since the September 1 data.

Mayor Sadiq Khan expanded the ULEZ to cover the whole of greater London on August 29. The mayor and TfL say the extension was necessary to clean up the capital’s air, though the move has come under criticism due to the £12.50 cost on drivers of non-compliant vehicles during a cost-of-living crisis.

Mr Khan has come under fire recently for the “template” rejection letters being sent to Londoners refused grants under the ULEZ scrappage scheme. 

Liberal Democrat assembly member (AM) told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the issue is “the latest in the long line of problems with the mayor’s botched ULEZ expansion process, with constituents also complaining that the forms for the application to the scrappage scheme are complicated and the requirements are difficult to understand”.

The mayor's office said TfL “endeavours to make rejection letters as clear as possible”.