A man is wanted by debt-collectors for £900 worth of unpaid fines for driving in London’s (ULEZ) Ultra Low Emissions Zones even though he claims to live 200 miles from the city in Devon.
Rio Hamilton has been battling with Transport for London since 2021, over two ULEZ fines relating to his blue Citroen van.
Rio Hamilton has been in a battle with Transport for London since 2021BPM Media
TfL claims Mr Hamilton’s blue Citroen van was used in the London areaBPM Media
Hamilton maintains the vehicle snapped by cameras is not his, and that his reg plate must have been cloned as he was in a different county at the time, reports mylondon.news.
The 69-year-old actually doesn’t have a fixed address, but says he spends most of his time in Devon.
He said: “This debt collector is threatening to enter the property of a friend to remove goods in lieu of payment. I don’t live there nor have any possessions there. My friend allows me to use her address purely for mail.”
Rio explained how the situation began: “Back in December 2021, I received two Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) which showed a van that bore the number plate of my van caught on camera in North London. On both occasions at the time of the ‘offences’ I was in the van in Basingstoke and Trowbridge. I am still fighting my case.”
Rio added: “My bank statement shows a transaction in Wickes in Trowbridge on that day. I also took a picture of the sunset in the Wickes car park. So I couldn’t have been in London.”
Rio’s claim received some support from the Met Police who had flagged his van and registration as a suspected clone vehicle at the time.
Rio said: “The Metropolitan Police themselves put out a suspected clone report on the number plate. I submitted a solicitor’s witnessed affidavit appeal which has been rejected [by TfL].”
Police have gone on to stop Rio in his van around half a dozen times in and around Devon due to the flag against his vehicle and registration – leading him to put it up for sale.
After two years of attempting to resolve the issue, Rio said: “I just want the whole thing written off.”
A spokesperson for TfL said they were aware of the PCNs – confirming that they allowed Rio 28 days to provide evidence to support his claim, but that he didn’t submit evidence they required.
TfL also confirmed that on February 10, 2023 they rejected Rio’s claim and invited Rio to contact TfL’s independent adjudicator.