Hit squads to catch congestion cheats

A new army of traffic "snatch squads" is to patrol central London to enforce Ken Livingstone's congestion charge.

From 17 February, the units will stalk the streets of the eight-milesquare congestion zone, pursuing offenders who repeatedly fail to pay the controversial charge, and towing away vehicles.

The patrols, roaming in vehicles equipped with the weaponry of the traditional clamping van, will follow up sightings of offenders by cameras monitoring the zone. Cameras will record images of cars as they enter and leave the zone at around 180 points along the boundary. A further 200 will monitor movement inside the zone.

Under the charging scheme, given the green light by a High Court Judge last week, motorists who breach the boundary without paying the £5 daily charge will be hit with an £80 fine.

But most drivers do not yet realise that mobile units will be waiting to pounce on offenders. The fee for recovering a car towed away by them is expected to be around £120.

Transport for London, operating the scheme, confirmed the units will enforce the zone but refused to say exactly how many teams will work the area.

A spokesman said: "There will certainly be sufficient teams to cover the zone. They will have the power to tow away cars belonging to persistent evaders.

"The cameras are not only along the border, they are all over the zone. So if you move your car from one site to another inside the zone, the camera will spot it. With the latest technology it is very, very easy to check and monitor every single road in and out of the zone."

Paul Watters, head of the AA's road and transport policy, said: "While we have many reservations about congestion charging, one of the things we do not oppose is the towing away of persistent evaders. A persistent offender is more likely to be driving without insurance and tax. It is right that the system should pick out the dishonest motorists.

"But I would not want to be on the end of any mistakes by the system. It is quite possible there will be mistakes, and it would be very draconian to tow away the wrong cars."

Edmund King, of the RAC Foundation, said: "Patrols should only be introduced when there are guarantees that number-plate recognition technology is 100 per cent accurate. Currently, vehicle-registration details are inaccurate.

"A 1999 Transport Department survey estimated a 3.9 per cent evasion rate for vehicle excise. The incidence of driving without insurance is between four and six per cent. If the same rates apply to congestion charging, it is clearly vital that numberplate recognition is totally accurate."