ULEZ Cameras in Chislehurst Destroyed by “Accident”.
Not by Bladerunners, apparently.
On Wednesday morning, two Transport for London (TfL) workers were seen replacing Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) cameras in Chislehurst.
The camera, positioned at the junction of Willow Grove and Chislehurst High Street, was replaced between 9 and 10am on 20 May. Two security guards were stationed at the bottom of the ladder in order to protect the technician as he carried out the work.
When questioned, the team stated that the replacement was in response to an “accidental” traffic incident and was not the result of Bladerunner activity.
The technician later confessed that he had replaced “hundreds of cameras” in 2024 due to criminal vandalism. When asked whether the Bladerunners were still operating, he stated: “It had been a while.”
One security guard described the relationship between themselves and the Bladerunners as “a game of cowboys and Indians”. When asked whether TfL was winning, a technician - simultaneously fiddling with an electrical box - stated: “It would appear so. Whoever has more money will ultimately win.”
On 15 January 2024, an estimated 20 lights were felled between Mottingham and Chislehurst. Local councillors from Chislehurst Matters condemned the civil disobedience. They posted on X:
All 4 lights have been taken down at Chislehurst War Memorial, A222.
We absolutely condemn this criminal damage that endangers the lives of the hundreds of schoolchildren & others plus motorists who cross here each day.
In a survey conducted by the Chislehurst Observer, of 41 local residents at the time, we found that the majority (60%) supported the Bladerunners, with 63% believing that the criminal activity had actually improved traffic flow at the affected lights.
Subsequent FOI requests were unable to discover whether these acts of vandalism had increased traffic incidences at the junction. They did show low numbers of incidences at the junction near Elmstead Lane and William Barefoot between 2021-2023. Traffic incidents at the junction in Orpington had also been decreasing significantly in the years leading up to 2024.*
When questioned about exactly how many cameras were cut down on 15 January 2024, and how much it cost to replace them, TfL refused to comment.
The replaced camera in Chislehurst sits two miles from the edge of the ULEZ zone and is part of a complex network of cameras placed around South East London, some even on dead-end roads. One source I spoke to some time ago stated:
“ULEZ is being used as a cover to bring in pay-by-mile. It’s all part of Project 2030. You can read about it online.”
The camera is now back in full working order, meaning it will return to its previous role of charging ULEZ non complient cars, motorcycles, vans, and specialist vehicles £12.50 per day to drive within of our area.
Maybe they’ve won after all.
*Article corrected and updated @22.16 on 21st May when analysis of FOI data was found to be inaccurate.
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