The newly-installed ultra low emission zone cameras in south London have been vandalised as the backlash to the planned expansion of the zone continues to grow.

Four cameras in Abbey Wood, Greenwich, were photographed with their wires cut and lenses painted black as the level of opposition of Sadiq Khan‘s planned expansion of the ULEZ zone grows, with politicians and campaigners urging him to change his mind.

But Mr Khan told the Standard: ‘One of the joys of living in a democracy is that you can oppose things and do it in a way that is loud, vocal – you can have petitions and protests.

‘But you have got to stay within the law. You have got to make sure your protest is peaceful and lawful and safe.

Newly-installed ultra low emission zone (ULEZ) cameras in south London have been vandalised

Newly-installed ultra low emission zone (ULEZ) cameras in south London have been vandalised© Provided by Daily Mail
The London Mayor has said the expansion, set to take place to cover the whole of the capital from August 29, is aimed at reducing the amount of air pollution in London

The London Mayor has said the expansion, set to take place to cover the whole of the capital from August 29, is aimed at reducing the amount of air pollution in London© Provided by Daily Mail

‘Vandalising Ulez cameras, vandalising TfL property, is not acceptable. It’s a criminal offence, and not unreasonably the police and TfL take it very seriously.’

The London Mayor has said the expansion, set to take place to cover the whole of the capital from August 29, is aimed at reducing the amount of air pollution in London.

The damaged Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera’s belong to Transport for London (TfL), and are set to monitor the ULEZ zone.

It comes after an increase of similar instances in the capital, with an extra 300 ANPR cameras recently installed. A further 2,750 will be installed by the official launch date.

Co