A group of ten Dutch hauliers has launched a legal action against Transport for London (TfL), claiming that they have been unlawfully issued with ULEZ fines.
The companies are seeking to have tens of thousands of pounds of ULEZ fines overturned and for TfL to pay their court costs.
If they are successful the action could open the door to similar claims against TfL from other hauliers in the Netherlands and from across Europe.
The ten hauliers are being represented by Dutch firm Transport in Nood BV, which has applied for permission, on their behalf, to launch a judicial review against TfL and its debt collection agency Euro Parking Collection (EPC) in the High Court.
Transport in Nood BV is employed by Dutch hauliers to manage and pay fines and charges that have been issued by the police or authorities inside and outside the country.
The company is claiming that around €7.5m (£6.5m) in ULEZ and LEZ fines could have been wrongly issued to the Dutch companies whose vehicles have been travelling within TfL’s charging zones in London and Greater London.
Transport in Nood BV owner Antonio Oliveira said the company was launching the case because of unfair fines that have bankrupted some firms.
He told the Telegraph: “People have been really impacted. I have seen people in tears over this, others have had to sell their trucks. It is completely unjust, and we need to get an answer from an English court to find out if this is correct.
“We are launching this claim to get the fines that have already been paid to be repaid, and the court costs. We are talking millions of pounds. We are only talking about Holland – it must be even greater across Europe. We are not the only country, of course.”
Transport in Nood is being represented by UK law firm Smith, Bowyer and Clarke. The firm has submitted an application for the case to be heard in the High Court.
The Dutch company said its clients have received more than 10,000 fine notices from TfL through EPC from November last year, with the majority of these fines arriving at the same time, with some companies receiving hundreds of fines in one day, costing tens of thousands of euros.
Oliveira said one lorry driver who transports flowers to London has been hit with nearly 400 fines, costing him just under €400,000 (£347,271m).
Lawyers will argue that if the fines were received as and when they happened, drivers would have been able to change their behaviour and avoid being penalised further.
