Automatic number plate recognition cameras will be rolled out across parts of London to strengthen enforcement of rules controlling heavy goods vehicle movements. The technology will be used to monitor compliance with the London Lorry Control Scheme, a long-running initiative aimed at reducing noise, congestion and environmental disruption caused by large vehicles, particularly in residential areas.
The scheme, which has been operating for several decades, limits when and where lorries can travel on certain roads, especially overnight. After a trial demonstrated positive results, cameras will now be installed on selected routes where breaches have been more common. Locations have been chosen using traffic data, enforcement priorities and patterns of non-compliance identified by councils.
The cameras will automatically capture number plates of lorries travelling on restricted roads during controlled hours. Any suspected violations will then be reviewed by trained officers before any further action is taken. According to London Councils, this approach will make enforcement more reliable and even-handed, while also improving understanding of how lorries move around the capital at night.
To help operators adjust, hauliers will receive advance warning at each new camera site, with notices issued for an initial two-week period before full enforcement begins. Operational rules for the scheme are not changing, and drivers must continue to use the Excluded Route Network unless they hold a valid permit. London Councils say the update will help protect communities by keeping neighbourhoods quieter and cleaner during overnight hours.
