Newsroom

We would like to remind you of the speed limits on major London bridges, including Kew Bridge.

Please be aware that the speed limit on Kew Bridge is 20mph instead of 30mph.

We’ve noticed a lot of drivers are getting ticketed for exceeding the 30mph speed limit on the A40 near North Wharf Road to near Dorando Cl westbound.

Please drive within the speed limit to keep everyone safe and avoid fines.

There will be a series of closures on the Piccadilly line, meaning more earning potential for Uber drivers.

Two-seek closure: Wood Green-Cockfosters

• From 00:30 to 06:00 Saturday 17 August (Friday night), there will be no service between King’s Cross and Cockfosters

• From 06:00 Saturday 17 August until start of service Sunday 1 September, there will be no service between Wood Green and Cockfosters

During this closure these stations will have no Tube service: Cockfosters, Oakwood, Southgate, Arnos Grove, Bounds Green.

There will be a reduced service on some other parts of the Piccadilly line.

Weekend part-closures

The Piccadilly line will be part-closed on a number of weekends.

We’ve noticed a lot of drivers are getting ticketed for visiting the Gatwick private hire waiting area without paying.

While the PHV waiting area is a great place for drivers waiting to pick up customers, please be reminded to pay at the end of your stay, or up to 24 hours after driving out of the area online.

The costs associated for using the waiting area are listed below.

Up to 2 hours – £2.00
2 to 4 hours – £4.00
4 to 24 hours – £20.00
24 to 48 hours – £64.00

*Overstay charges of £32.00 per 24 hour period apply to stays in excess of 48 hours.

There are three ways to pay:

1. Pay for parking automatically – Use AutoPay for the easiest payment method. Set up your account at dropoff.gatwickairport.com

2. Pay later online – You can pay up to 24 hours after driving out of the PHV waiting area. Pay with debit or credit card at dropoff.gatwickairport.com

3. Pay at the end of your stay -Pay by credit or debit card at the pay machine. Remember you will need your registration number to pay. Cash not accepted.

We’ve noticed a lot of drivers are getting ticketed for driving in a bus lane, like this one in Crouch End Hill.

Just a gentle reminder that PHVs are not allowed to drive in bus lanes.

The fixed penalty charge is £130, and reduced to £65 if paid within 14 days.

Southwark has changed a lot in terms of the use of roads. We’ve noticed a lot of drivers getting ticketed for entering the restricted zone at Rye Lane Junction Hanover Park.

Please note, the PCN is £130, and reduced to £65 if paid within 14 days.

We’ve noticed a lot of drivers are getting ticketed for being in the bus lane on Norwood Road Lambeth.

Please note, the PCN is £130, and reduced to £65 if paid within 14 days.

We’ve noticed a lot of drivers are getting warning notices for entering the restricted zone in Lansdowne Drive (Junction Trederwen Road – Westbound) in Hackney.

Please note, this is a new restriction, no payment is needed, but the PCN will be £130 if any subsequent contraventions occur.

Blackwall Tunnel will be closed to southbound traffic from Saturday 18 May until Monday 20 May morning.

The tunnel will remain open to northbound traffic. At times there may be diversions on the approach, or northbound traffic may be diverted through the southbound tunnel.

During the closures, roads and alternative river crossings are expected to be extremely busy.

We’ve noticed a lot of drivers are getting tickets for exceeding the 30mph speed limit on A40 near North Wharf Road to near Bramley Road westbound.

Please make sure to stay within limits to save your hard-earned money.

We’ve noticed a lot of drivers are getting tickets for using the restricted route on Tottenham Court Road W1.

Please make sure to check road signs to save your hard-earned money.

Here are some works or events that may delay your journey:

• 26-30 April: From 21:00 on Friday 26 until Tuesday 30 April, the A406 Gunnersbury Avenue will be closed between Chiswick Roundabout and Popes Lane, with a signed diversion route in place. This is due to emergency Thames Water works.

• 27 April: From 09:00 until 18:00, an annual charity bicycle ride will be taking place through central London.

• 27 April: From 10:00 until 13:00, a march will take place from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square.

• 27 April: From 11:00 until 17:00, a march will take place from Parliament Square to Hyde Park via Whitehall, Cockspur Street, Pall Mall, Waterloo Place, Regent Street St James and Piccadilly.

• 27 April: From 12:30 until 15:00, a march will take place from Marble Arch to Whitehall.

• 27 April: From 12:00 until 18:30, Twickenham Stadium is hosting the Harlequins v Northampton rugby match.

• 27-28 April: From 08:00 on Saturday 27 until 18:00 on Sunday 28 April, Edgware Road will be closed southbound between Old Marylebone Road and Crawford Place.

• 28 April: From 07:00 until 10:00, there will be various closures in and around Trafalgar Square for filming.

We’ve noticed a lot of drivers are getting tickets for exceeding the 20mph limit on Bayswater Road between junctions of Lancaster gate and Stanhope Place eastbound. Please drive safely.

Here are some works or events that may delay your journey:

• 20 April: Whitehall will be closed for a significant part of the day, due to a wreath laying event.

• 20 April: From 07:30 until 15:30, the TCS Mini London Marathon 2024 will take place, with the route contained on Horse Guards Road, Birdcage Walk, Spur Road and Constitution Hill.

• 20 April: From 10:30 until 14:30, a march will take place from Millbank to Temple Place via Abingdon Street, Parliament Square, Whitehall, Horse Guards Avenue and Embankment. Large crowds are expected.

• 20 April: From 10:00 until 14:00, a march will take place from the Chinese Embassy to Richmond Terrace.

• 20 April: From 12:00 until 18:00, a religious event will take place on Trafalgar Square.

• 20 April: From 15:00 until 22:00, Wembley Stadium will be hosting the FA Cup Semi Final football match between Manchester City and Chelsea, with kick off at 17:15.

• 21 April: From 04:00 until 21:00, extensive road closures will be in place across central, south and east London for the London Marathon. The route will start in Blackheath and end on The Mall.

• 21 April: From 12:00 until 18:00, a ceremonial event will take place at Trafalgar Square.

• 21 April: From 13:00 until 20:00, Wembley Stadium will be hosting the FA Cup Semi Final football match between Coventry City and Manchester United, with kick off at 15:30.

• Until 25 April: Billinton Hill is closed for redevelopment works.

We’ve noticed a lot of drivers are getting tickets for stopping at the box junction on New Kings Road/Bagleys Lane. Just a gentle reminder that do not enter the box until your exit road is clear, unless you’re waiting to turn right.

According to new figures from Zapmap, the overall rate of EV chargepoint installation has increased by 35% compared with the average across 2023.

The data also illustrates a continuing trend to install high-powered hubs, which are popular with EV drivers especially to support longer journeys, with 55 new charging hubs installed across the country in the first quarter of the year.

As of the end of March, there are now 59,590 charging devices installed, representing a 10.5% increase in the total number of public chargers since the end of 2023, and a 47% increase since the end of March 2023.

More than 5,500 of this total number of charge points (5,725) were installed in the first quarter of 2024, at a rate of over 1,900 per month. This sees the rate of installation increase by 35% on the 2023 average of 1,400 per month.

From 00:01 on Saturday 13 until 05:00 on Monday 15 April, the Blackwall Tunnel will be closed to southbound traffic. The tunnel will be open to northbound traffic during these times.

Roads and alternative river crossings in east and central London are expected to be extremely busy with long delays.

The Woolwich Ferry runs between 10:30 and 17:30 on weekends but during this closure, drivers may not be able to board the first ferry as long queues are expected.

Some drivers are getting tickets for exceeding the 20mph limit on A501 City Road j/w Central Street westbound.

Please drive safely and stay within the limits to keep your hard-earned money.

Here are some works or events that may delay your journey:

• 5 April: From 17:00 until 23:30, Wembley Stadium will be hosting the England v Sweden football match, with kick off at 20:00. Large crowds and increased traffic levels are expected before and after the match.

• 6 April: From 12:00 until 18:00, a religious event will take place at Trafalgar Square. Large crowds are expected.

• 6-12 April: From 08:00 on Saturday 6 until 18:00 on Friday 12 April, Manor Road will be closed in both directions at the junction of A124 Barking Road. This is for Thames Water works.

• 7 April: From 06:30 until 16:00, there will be extensive road closures in place for The London Landmarks Half Marathon, which follows a route through Westminster and City of London, starting in Pall Mall and ending at Whitehall. Large crowds and increased traffic levels are expected along the route.

• 7 April: From 08:00 until 19:30, a religious event will take place in the Southall area, travelling from Guru Nanak Road along King Street, The Green, South Road, The Broadway High Street and Park Avenue Gurdwara, then back to Guru Nanak Road. Large crowds and increased traffic levels are expected.

• 7 April: From 12:00 until 21:00, Wembley Stadium will host the EFL Football Trophy Final between Peterborough United and Wycombe Wanderers, with kick off at 16:30. Large crowds and increased traffic levels are expected before and after the match.

• Until 11 April: Until 05:00, Commercial Street will be closed between Wentworth Street and Quaker Street. This is for carriageway resurfacing.

• Until 16 April: Until 21:00, Buckingham Palace Road will be closed at the junction of Grosvenor Gardens. This is for Thames Water works.

A40 continues to be a PCN hotspot.

The Otto Team would like to remind you that the speed limit on the A40 near Terrick St W12 is 30mph, not 40mph.

It’s not far away from our new Shepherd’s Bush hub.

Driving at any speed above the legal limit may result in a PCN being issued. Please drive at safe speeds to keep your hard-earned money.

Here are some works or events that may delay your journey:

• 22-23/3: From 18:00 on Friday until 05:00 the following morning, the London Walk 2024 will be taking place in Central London

• 22/3-7/4: From 10:00 until 17:00 each day, the Ideal Home Exhibition event will be taking place at Olympia Exhibition Centre in Earl’s Court

• 23/3: From 14:00 until 23:30, England will be playing Brazil in a football match at Wembley Stadium. Kick off is at 19:00

• 23/3: From 15:00 until 19:00, the Twilight Walk will be taking place in Central London

• 23/3: From 17:00 until 22:30, a concert will take place at Drumsheds in Tottenham Hale

• 23/3: The O2 will be hosting Peter Kay from 18:00 until 23:00 in North Greenwich

• 23-25/3: From 00:01 on Saturday 23 until 05:00 on Monday 25 March, Blackwall Tunnel will be closed to southbound traffic

• 24/3: From 09:00 until 12:00, the Kings College Run will be taking place in Westminster

The Gatwick Airport Private Hire Vehicle and Taxi Waiting Area zone is located in the South Terminal (RH6 0NY), PHV drivers must pay on exit, or you can get a £100 PCN.

The costs associated for using the waiting area are listed below.

Up to 2hours – £2.00
2 to 4 hours – £4.00
4 to 24 hours – £15.00

The zone is a 24/7 waiting area for PCO drivers who are waiting to pick up their customers from London Gatwick. Only licensed taxi or PHV drivers can use the PHV waiting area.

After taking a ticket on entry, card payments can then be made at any time using the payment machine located inside the PHV building, or payment can also be made at the exit barriers.

From 26 February 2024, all new and renewing PHV drivers are required to register with and maintain a subscription to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Update Service..

A PCO licence will not be granted without confirmation that the subscription is in place.

The two opportunities to register with the Update Service are:

• When you are applying for your enhanced DBS check, and
• When you have received your enhanced DBS certificate

Once drivers are registered with the Update Service, TfL will undertake six-monthly checks with the DBS to see if their DBS record has changed.

Subscription to the Update Service currently costs £13 per year.

Drivers who neglect to maintain their subscription to the DBS Update Service will be prompted to undergo additional DBS checks, potentially delaying their licence renewal process and facing further licensing actions.

For the very first time, the EV Chargepoint Grant is now accessible to those who own or rent a property without off-street parking where they have to park on the roadside.

The £350 grant will cover up to 75% of the cost of purchasing and installing a home chargepoint where on-street parking is the only option.

However, those who apply will only be eligible if they meet certain criteria, for example, the local council must deem your on-street parking space as adequate.

The first ever planned full closure of the M25 will take effect this Friday for a full weekend.

The motorway will be shut in both directions between junctions 10 (A3 Wisley) and 11 (A320 Chertsey Interchange) from 9am Friday 15th March to 6am Monday 18th March.

Expect heavy congestion and long delays. Journeys to Gatwick and Heathrow airports may be affected.

The local diversion route below will be in place which is the same for both directions:

– Junction 10 – Junction 11: North bound A3 to Painshill Junction, A245 towards Woking, and then A320 to M25 Junction 11.

– Junction 11 – Junction 10: A320 south towards Woking, A245 towards Byfleet and Painshill junction, Southbound A3 to Junction 10.

Taking the M25 in the other direction to avoid our closure is also an option.

National Highways is launching a campaign targeting middle lane hoggers and tailgaters.

Figures released by National Highways reveal that lane hogging was among the most likely behaviours to cause motorists and riders to feel frustrated, while tailgating was among the most likely to make them feel anxious, stressed or unsafe.

National Highways director of road safety Sheena Hague said, “Bad habits can make driving on our motorways a challenging experience, as those who lane hog or tailgate frustrate other drivers and make them feel unsafe. Both are dangerous and can cause accidents.”

Lane hogging and tailgating fall under the offence of careless driving, which could get you a £100 fine and three penalty points.

Here are some works or events that may delay your journey:

• 8-11/3: West Cromwell Road will be closed eastbound for a crane operation

• 9/3: From 11:00 until 18:00, demonstration will be taking place in the central London area

• 9-10/3: Tothill Street will be closed between Story’s Gate and Matthew Parker Street for the removal of a tower crane at Central Hall

• 10-11/3: From 20:00 on Sunday until 02:00 on Monday, there will be road closures in place for the event build for Commonwealth Day. Victoria Street, Great George Street, Broad Sanctuary and Great Smith Street will be closed

• 11/3 until 8/7: Major utility gas works will take place affecting Farringdon Street, New Bridge Street, Charterhouse Street and Tudor Street as follows:
– Farringdon Street northbound closure (Charterhouse Street to Ludgate Circus/Fleet Street)
– New Bridge Street southbound closure (Blackfriars/Watergate to Ludgate Circus/Fleet Street)
– Charterhouse Street westbound closure (Farringdon Street to East Poultry Avenue)
– Tudor Street full closure (New Bridge Street to Kingscote Street)

Uber drivers will be able to drop off passengers in the Hammersmith and Fulham Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) without being fined, confirmed the Hammersmith and Fulham Council.

The zone was set up to discourage drivers from using the neighbourhood streets to reduce traffic and pollution.

The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan also confirmed that Uber and other PHV drivers are permitted to drop off passengers within these zones.

A more automated technical solution is being worked out between Uber and the borough.

Gatwick Airport has increased the drop off charge at its terminal forecourt from £5 to £6:

• £6 for 10 minutes

• £1 for each additional minute up to 20 minutes

• Maximum charge of £25

• Maximum length of stay 30 minutes

Just a friendly reminder that you will receive a £100 PCN if you don’t pay for the charge by midnight the next day.

You could drop passengers off for free at long stay car parks, which have buses that run to the terminal every 12 minutes.

Currently drop off charge at Heathrow is £5, and Stansted is £7.

According to the AA EV Recharge Report for January 2024, EV charging costs increased in January but off-peak ultra-rapid charging is still cheaper than fuelling a petrol car.

The report shows the impact of the 2p/kWh energy price cap increase on domestic charging was matched by a 2p/kWh rise on flat-rate fast, rapid and ultra-rapid charging.

Peak and off-peak rates in ultra-rapid charging increased by 1p/kWh.

However, off-peak rates for ultra-rapid chargers remains cheaper per mile compared to petrol – even with pump prices dropping for 15 weeks until the middle of January.

Here are some works or events that may delay your journey:

• 1-3/3: Union Street will be closed between Blackfriars Road and Ewer Street from 20:00 on Friday 1 until 20:00 on Sunday 3 March for filming

• 2/3: From 13:00 until 16:00, the Bete Adwa Ethiopian Cutural Celebration will be taking place in the Islington area, starting at Kings Cross and ending at the Rock Tower

• 2/3: From 18:00 until 23:00, the O2 will be hosting the BRIT Awards

• 2-3/3: From 06:00 on Saturday 2 until 20:00 on Sunday 3 March, there will be a southbound closure of Buckingham Palace Road between Eccleston Bridge and Elizabeth Bridge

• 2/3 until mid-April: Canada Water bus station will be closed for improvement works

• 3/3: From 00:01 until 10:00, Blackwall Tunnel will be closed to southbound traffic, through to the junction with Blackwall Lane

• 3/3: From 12:30 until 14:30, a demonstration bike ride will be taking place in the central London area

National Highways started trialling cameras to identify drivers who are using a mobile phone or not wearing a seatbelt while driving in 2021, and it will be expanded.

The new camera captures footage of passing drivers. The images are processed using AI to analyse if they are using a handheld phone.

Devon and Cornwall Police deployed the technology in 2022. During the first couple of weeks, 590 people were caught by police not wearing seatbelts, and 40 using a mobile phone while driving.

The research is now being expanded to more police forces, including Durham, Greater Manchester, Humberside, Staffordshire, West Mercia, Northamptonshire, Wiltshire, Norfolk, Thames Valley and Sussex.

The trial will run until March 2025.

The Otto Team have noticed that drivers are being flagged for speeding in a 20mph zone on Vauxhall Bridge Road between junction of Wilton Road and Neathouse Place southbound.

Here are some works or events that may delay your journey:

• 23/2: From 18:00 until 22:30, a concert will take place at Drumsheds Tottenham Hale

• 24/2: From 18:00 until 23:00, the O2 North Greenwich will be hosting Peter Kay Live

• 24-25/2: From 06:00 on Saturday 24 until 20:00 on Sunday 25 February, there will be a southbound closure of Buckingham Palace Road between Eccleston Bridge and Elizabeth Bridge for a crane operation

• 24-26/2: From 00:01 on Saturday 24 until 05:00 on Monday 26 February, Blackwall Tunnel will be closed to southbound traffic, through to the junction with Blackwall Lane.

• 25/2: From 02:30 until 16:30, the London Winter Run will be taking place in the central London area.

The Otto Team have noticed that drivers are being flagged for driving 40mph in a 30mph zone on A217 Dovers Green Road in Reigate.

A new poll from the AA suggests that nearly half of UK drivers struggle with dangerous blind spots.

Among those who say their ability to see out of their vehicle is limited, 35% have had a collision or near-miss.

Breaking down where their view is restricted most:

• 22% of all respondents to an AA survey say the side pillar next to or just behind the driver creates a blind spot

• 20% say the windscreen pillar creates a significant blind spot

• 6% have a significant blind spot on the front passenger’s side of the windscreen during heavy rain and snow due to the wipers not covering that area

• Likewise, 5% have the same problem in winter when dirt and excess road salt are thrown on the windscreen

• Similar problems with blind spots on the driver’s side of the windscreen happen for 4% when driving in heavy rain and snow, and 3% due to a build-up of road dirt

Government statistics show that, in 2022, there were 17 fatal road collisions road where a blind spot was a contributory factor. Of the 929 collisions leading to injuries, 1.8% resulted in people being killed.

A study by Claims.co.uk analysed PCN data over one year to find which areas have been the hardest hit with motoring fines and examined where residents had been most successful at appealing the fines.

Manchester tops the list for the most number of PCN issued by 100,000 people (99,348 PCNs), more than 900% higher than the national average of 9,922 tickets issued per 100,000 drivers.

The northern city saw the most PCNs in the UK, with 546,270 fines, almost one PCN per person. Of those fines, only 660 were appealed, with just 478 successfully overturned.

Brighton and Hove took the second place, with 98,583 PCNs per 100,000 people, which was 893.62% higher than the national average.

Third on the list was Reading, where PCNs were issued at a rate of 76,593 per 100,000 people, and fourth place went to Cambridgeshire, with a PCN issuance rate of 67,935 per 100,000 people.

Drivers are seeking to appeal speeding fines after it emerged 50mph sign in a 40mph TfL zone was fake.

The fake speed sign on the A20 in Sidcup, south-east London, showed that motorists could travel up to 50mph, but the actual speed limit was set at 40mph.

The sign, on the eastbound side of the road, between Crittals Corner, in Sidcup, and the Swanley Interchange, has since been replaced with the correct speed limit, according to TfL.

Here are some works or events that may delay your journey:

• 16/2: A demonstration march will be taking place from 10:00 until 15:00 in the central London area, starting in Gunnersbury and ending in Trafalgar Square.

• 17/2: From 10:00 until 16:00, demonstrations will be taking place in Trafalgar Square.

• 17/2: From 19:00 until 23:59, the BAFTAs 2024 Nominees Party will be held at the National Gallery. Pall Mall East will be closed during the event.

• 17-18/2: From 10:00 until 22:00 each day, the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live will be taking place at the O2.

• 18/2: A demonstration will be taking place from 13:00 until 15:00 in Stoke Newington.

• 15-16/2: From 22:00 on Thursday 15 until 05:00 on Friday 16 February, Southwark Street will be closed to all eastbound traffic between its junctions with Blackfriars Road and Burrell Street. This is due to carriageway works.

• 15-17/2: From Thursday 15 until 05:00 on Saturday 17 February, Piccadilly will be closed westbound from Bolton Street to Down Street due to resurfacing works.

• 19/2-14/3: From Monday 19 February until Thursday 14 March, every night from 20:00 until 05:00 the following morning, resurfacing works will be taking place between Holloway Road station and Highbury Corner. These works will be completed in phases.

Westminster City Council will carry out work these two weeks to resurface the Piccadilly carriageway between Hyde Park Corner and Piccadilly Circus.

Traffic diversions will be in place during the works.

– From Monday 5 until Tuesday 6 February, eastbound closure from Hamilton Place to Brick Street
– From Wednesday 7 until Thursday 8 February, eastbound closure from Brick Street to Bolton Street
– From Friday 9 until 05:00 on Saturday 10 February, eastbound closure from Old Bond Street to Albany Courtyard
– On Monday 12 February, eastbound closure from Sackville Street to Piccadilly Circus
– From Tuesday 13 to Wednesday 14 February, westbound closure from Piccadilly Circus to St James’s Street
– From Thursday 15 until 05:00 on Saturday 17 February, westbound closure from Bolton Street to Down Street

Transport for London (TfL) is trialling a new ‘open-book’ format for the SERU assessment. This tests the Safety, Equality, and Rules and Regulations Understanding of PCO drivers and acts as the written part of the English Language Requirement (ELR). 

TfL says PCO drivers will be allowed to take the PHV Driver’s Handbook into the SERU test to emphasise problem solving over memorising facts.

The trial is initially for Group 1 PCO drivers (i.e. those who did not provide ELR evidence by 30 Sept 2021) and will last several months. 

TfL is pausing enforcement action on Group 1 drivers yet to pass SERU or ELR tests. 

This does not affect drivers about to take the SERU assessment nor those who have passed but the format is likely to be adopted as it’s supported by London Mayor, Sadiq Khan. 

UK sat-nav systems will automatically update for short-term traffic changes and stop directing drivers to closed roads.

This is part of the new Plan For Driver scheme, which is a government measure to ensure drivers receive accurate information from their mapping systems and make the most of accurate real-time data.

All important data, including the location of empty parking spaces, temporary speed limits and road closures, is now found on sat-navs.

In order to improve traffic problems in the UK, the government has announced it will force traffic authorities to digitally record all Traffic Regulation Orders, so that sat-navs will pick up road issues more quickly and reliably.

Sainsbury’s has launched its own EV charging brand Smart Charge, becoming the first supermarket in the UK to own and manage its own charging network.

They will have 750+ ultra-rapid charging bays across over 100 stores by the end of 2024. They claim that the chargers are powered by renewable energy sourced from solar and wind farms and will charge a flat rate of 75p/kWh.

Currently 200 chargers are available at 20 supermarkets, for example, in Harrogate and Richmond.

According to the company’s own research, 80% of EV drivers said they would avoid long journeys due to not wanting to use public chargers. And to overcome driver frustrations with limited charger provision, broken equipment and slow charging times, their 150kW Smart Charge bays could theretically allow drivers to top up in as little as 30 mins.

We’ve recently received many tickets from for exceeding the 40 mph speed limit on A20 eastbound, west of Sandy Lane to east of Cookham Road.

We’ve received a number of warning notices from the Lambeth Council, as experimental restrictions on the use of Upper Ground and Belvedere Road have been introduced.

In Upper Ground, motor traffic can now travel eastbound only on the section between Duchy Street and Broadwall.

Below Waterloo Bridge, a new traffic filter has been introduced to prevent westbound motorists from entering Belvedere Road.

Data from the RAC and INRIX indicates there are likely to be daily delays of around 40 minutes between 22nd-24th on the M25 clockwise west of Greater London. Roads will also be busy on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

The worst queue, of up to an hour, is expected along the M25 clockwise between the M23 for Gatwick and M40 for Birmingham on the 23rd December. Drivers heading anti-clockwise between J17 – J12 on the same day should also prepare themselves for longer waits of around half an hour. Further afield, the M1 north between Woburn to Daventry and the M6 south from Wigan to Stafford will be hit the hardest with delays in the run-up to the 25th.

Planning to work during Christmas?

– The Congestion Charge will not operate from Christmas Day (Monday 25 December 2023) to Monday 1 January 2024 (inclusive)
– The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will not operate on Christmas Day (Monday 25 December)
– The Low Emission Zone (LEZ) operates every day of the year (including Christmas Day)

Christmas is about giving.

The Otto Team donated goodie bags to homeless people on the streets of London. This was part of the Back to Kindness – National Rucksack Appeal.

The operator has expanded its London service to 17 regions: Southend, Gravesend, Woking, Crawley, Tilbury, Basildon, Epping, Redhill, Harlow, Wokingham, Sevenoaks, Stanford-le-Hope, Bishop’s Stortford, Reigate, Guildford, Billericay, and Dorking.

The move comes just in time for the busy festive period during which the company expects business in London to increase by 15%.

New VECTOR-SR cameras are being used in the UK to snap drivers travelling in both directions.

These new cameras don’t need painted lines on the road, and no longer flash when triggered, so you may not know if you’ve been fined.

They can also double for both speed and red-light enforcement, and can also catch drivers without a seatbelt or using a phone while driving.

The cameras are currently being rolled out across the UK, and some have already been installed in Devon, Cornwall and parts of Wales.

We’ve recently received many tickets from the Croydon Council for entering the pedestrian zone on Elm Park Road junction South Norwood Hill.

Here are some works or events that may delay your journey:

• 17/11: England v Malta football match @ Wembley Stadium
• 17/11: Louis Tomlinson concert @ O2 Arena Greenwich
• 18/11: Christmas event on Kings Road between Walpole Street and Sloane Square
• 18/11: Peter Kay Live @ O2 Arena Greenwich
• 18-19/11: Drumsheds concert @ Tottenham Hale
• 19/11: Demonstration @ Westminster

We’ve recently received many tickets from the London Borough of Lewisham for entering the pedestrian zone on Ewhurst Road.

Please make sure to check all road signs and markings when you drive, otherwise you may get a £130 PCN.

We’ve recently received many Warning Notices from the London Borough of of Lambeth for entering the restricted zone on Valley Road.

Please note, the Streatham Wells Low Traffic Neighbourhood trial has been introduced in October and will run for 12 to 18 months.

As part of the trial, only buses and taxis are able to enter Valley Road from both ends, with drivers who take the same route facing a fine of £130.

Please make sure to check all road signs and markings when you’re driving.

We’ve recently received many tickets from the Luton Borough Council for parking in the taxi rank on Spittlesea Road.

Please note, PCO cars must not stop or wait in taxi ranks.

Please make sure to check all road signs and markings when you’re driving. Otherwise you could get a £70 PCN, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days.

A friendly reminder that all PCO drivers must declare their income earned from private hire driving.

From 1 Jan 2024, Uber will need to report how much drivers earn automatically to HMRC, and the tax office will use the data to compare to the self-assessment income.

The new rules require digital platform operators including AirBnb, Etsy, Deliveroo, Upwork, Fiverr and Uber.

HMRC introduced a new tax check​ last year for drivers when renewing a PCO licence. It is a simple check to confirm if you have appropriately registered for tax. The process should only take a few minutes.

We’ve recently received a number of tickets from the Lambeth Parking for driving in the prohibited zone on Downton Avenue. Don’t get caught out.

We’ve recently received a number of tickets from the Hackney Council for driving in the prohibited zone on Lansdowne Drive (Junction Trederwen Road – Westbound).

The penalty charge of this notice is £130, and will be reduced to £65 if paid within 14 days.

Don’t get caught out.

We’ve noticed that some drivers are getting tickets from the Enfield Council for using the bus lane on Bull Lane N18.

This ‘flying motorbike sign’ means ‘no motor vehicles allowed’.

It has always been misunderstood. Almost a third of drivers think it means ‘cars and motorcycles only’, which is the opposite.

Please make sure you know all road signs mean to save your hard-earned money.

The government has announced the new Plan for Drivers to “back people who use cars in their daily lives”.

The 30 measures include issuing 20mph zone guidance, permitting red flashing lights for breakdown cars, and delivering the new parking platform.

The full plan for drivers will make journeys smoother by:

– strengthening guidance to make sure bus lanes operate only when buses are running
– guiding local authorities on allowing motorcycles to use bus lanes and holding a consultation about whether motorcycle access should be standard
– permitting red flashing lights for breakdown vehicles, helping to protect recovery drivers by making them more visible at the roadside
– supporting councils to introduce more lane rental schemes, which reduce roadworks by incentivising utilities to avoid the busiest roads at the busiest times
– consulting on requiring local authorities with lane rental schemes to use at least 50% of any surplus on pothole repairs or resurfacing
– consulting on extending fines for overrunning street works at weekends and increasing fixed penalty notices
– rolling out the Live Labs 2 programme to explore new, low-carbon and high-tech ways of managing local highway networks, – supporting the transition to net zero carbon local roads and infrastructure
– developing a New Road Condition Data Standard to provide local authorities with access to new technologies enabling them more easily to identify and deal with road defects like potholes
– £30 million fund to upgrade traffic signal systems, replacing unreliable and obsolete equipment to improve reliability
– £20 million ‘Green Light Fund’ to tune up traffic signals to better reflect current traffic conditions and get traffic flowing
– £20 million to deploy advanced technology for traffic signals, making use of machine learning and AI to optimise traffic flow and balance traffic across city centres

They’re also stopping unfair enforcement by:

– issuing 20mph zone guidance for England to help prevent inappropriate blanket use.
– consulting on measures including the removal of local authorities’ access to DVLA data to enforce such schemes by camera
– focusing on the importance of local support and consider as part of the LTN review how to address existing LTNs that have not secured local consent
– strengthening government and sector-led guidance on enforcement of moving traffic offences such as entering yellow box junctions, to ensure consistency and stop drivers from being penalised unfairly
– launching a call for evidence on options to restrict local authorities’ ability to generate surpluses from traffic offences and over-zealous use of traffic enforcement powers

They’re making parking easier by:

– delivering the new National Parking Platform by autumn 2024, ending the need to use multiple parking apps
– consulting on revising guidance about the public’s right to challenge local authority parking policies
– introducing digitised traffic regulation orders to help easily identify where it is legal to park anywhere in the country

They’re tackling inconsiderate driving by:

– consulting on removing the right of uninsured drivers to claim compensation for property damage
– launching a communications campaign and enforcement to tackle lane hogs and other inconsiderate driving on the motorway
allowing local councils to roll out noise cameras to target unacceptable vehicle modifications
– clamping down on roadside littering, extending the trial on camera enforcement across the strategic road network

They’re supporting the transition to zero emission driving by:

– reviewing grid connections process for EV chargepoints, with the aim to accelerate it
– consulting on measures to speed up the approvals process for installation of chargepoints
– providing dedicated, targeted support for schools to install chargepoints, using existing grants
– widening eligibility of EV chargepoint grants to include cross-pavement solutions to make EV ownership a more practical option for those without off-street parking
– providing guidance on the use of safe cross-pavement solutions
– consulting on the expansion of permitted development rights, making private chargepoint installation cheaper and easier
– working with industry to myth-bust concerns about EVs

UK petrol prices have risen for the 4th month in a row, up by 4.5p/L to 157p in September on the back of global oil production cuts, according to data from the RAC.

It’s the 13th biggest monthly jump in price in the last 23 years.

The RAC says the price rises are being driven by oil producer group OPEC+ restricting global supply in conjunction with the weaker value of sterling which makes wholesale fuel, which is traded in dollars, more expensive to buy in the UK.

Drivers have to pay £86+ for a 55L petrol car, the highest cost since December 2022.

Here are some works or events that may delay your journey:

• 7/10: Danny Elfman @ Royal Albert Hall
• 7-9/10: Southbound Blackwall Tunnel closure
• 8/10: Royal Parks Half Marathon @ central London area
• 8/10: RuPaul’s Drag Race @ The O2 Peninsula Square
• Until 7/10: Lanes two and three (northbound) on Edgware Road will be closed at the junction of A4205 Praed Street
• Until 10/10: Epsom Road is closed in both directions between Purley Way and Duppas Hill Road

Blackwall Tunnel will be closed to southbound traffic from Saturday 30th September to Monday 2nd October morning.

In addition, Sadiq Khan has confirmed that drivers will have to pay a toll to use the tunnel from 2025.

There are planned train and tube strikes in September and October.

Dates affected:

‣ Tube strikes — Wednesday 4th and Friday 6th October

‣ Train strikes — Saturday 30th September and Wednesday 4th October

‣ Train drivers overtime ban — Friday 29th September, Monday 2nd to Friday 6th October

The strike action is expected to cause severe disruption across London. Expect increased demand for private hire services.

Here are some works or events that may delay your journey:

• 23-24/9: London Shine Night Walk 2023 @ Battersea Park
• 24/9: 2023 Vitality London 10K @ central London
• 24/9: The Hermes Experiment @ Southbank Centre
• 24/9: Charing Cross station forecourt closed
• Until 6/10: Brixton Hill closed between its junctions with the A205 Christchurch Road and Brixton Water Lane
• Until 10/10: Epsom Road closed in both directions between Purley Way and Duppas Hill Road
• Until 5/11: Marylebone Road closed eastbound (lanes one and two of four) between its junction with Part Square West

As some of you may be aware, there are a number of smart motorways around London with variable speed limits.

The Otto Team has recently received many tickets for breaking variable speed limits on M25 and M11.

Please make sure to drive at safe speeds on smart motorways, or you may receive a fine, just like driving on a normal motorway.

We’ve noticed that some drivers are getting tickets from Islington as they performed a prohibited right turn on Digswell Street.

Please check road signs or you may get a £130 PCN.

The Otto Team has noticed drivers are getting tickets for performing a prohibited right turn at the Clapham Common North Side Jct Stormont Rd.

The Otto Team would like to remind you that the speed limit on the A40 (Terrick St/North Wharf Road) is 30mph.

🚀 Tips: It might be helpful to download some free camera apps such as Radarbot and Speedtrap Alert to check speed restrictions or get warnings.

Here are some works or events that may delay your journey:

• 21-22/7: Junction 2 Festival in Hounslow
• 21-23/7: Hyper Japan exhibition at Olympia London
• 22/7: UFC Fight Night at the O2
• 22/7: Elrow Festival in Barking
• 22/7: Ben Howard concert at Alexandra Palace
• 23/7: Demonstration in central London
• 23/7: London Athletics Meet at the London Stadium
• 24/7 until Sept: Wandsworth Bridge will be closed to all motorised traffic
• Until Dec: Closures on the Piccadilly underpass for improvement works

Update 14:19 21st July: Tube strikes planned for 23-28 July have been cancelled.

There will be tube strikes from Sunday 23rd to Friday 28th July.

• Sunday 23rd July: Tube services will close early

• Monday 24th July: Services will start later than normal, with a good service expected by late morning

• Tuesday 25th and Thursday 27th July: Little or no Tube service running across London Underground

• Wednesday 26 and Friday 28 July: No Tube service expected, including Night Tube

The strike action is expected to cause disruption across London.

Expect increased demand for private hire services.

Yellow box junctions have been a regular PCN issue among PCO drivers.

This junction at Langley Road and Croydon Road in in Elmers End Bromley accounted for the most fines in 2022 for example.

Please check the road markings when you drive to avoid getting a PCN.

Here are some works or events that may delay your journey:

• 30/6: Overnight junction and road closures in the Whitehall area
• 30/6-1/7: WWE events @ O2, North Greenwich
• 30/6-2/7: BST Hyde Park concerts
• 30/6-2/7: England vs Australia @ Lord’s Cricket Ground
• 30/6-2/7: Finsbury Park music events
• 1/7: Pride in London 2023 Parade @ Whitehall, Piccadilly and Trafalgar Square

We have noticed that many drivers are getting tickets from Bath Street Islington for failing to comply with a prohibition on certain types of vehicles.

Please check the signs when you drive to avoid getting a PCN.

Here are some works or events that may delay your journey:

• 23/6: Community event @ Hyde Park
• 23-25/6: Sporting fan zone for the Major League Baseball London Series @ Trafalgar Square
• 23-25/6: The Queen’s Tennis Championships @ Kensington
• 24/6: Demonstration @ Parliament Square
• 24-25/6: Major League Baseball tournament @ London Stadium
• 24-25/6: BST Hyde Park concerts @ Central London area
• 24-26/6: Southbound Blackwall Tunnel and A102 weekend closures
• 25/6: The Armed Forces Day Bridge Walk @ Central London area
• 25/6: The Blackheath Race For Life/Pretty Muddy @ Blackheath

Here are some works or events that may delay your journey:

• 10/6: Trooping the Colour @ St James’s Park
• 11/6: Combined Irish Regiments Cenotaph Parade @ Whitehall
• Until 17/6: Hampton Court Palace Festival @ Hampton Court Palace
• Until 24/6: HS2 works @ Swiss Cottage
• 12/6-8/7: Weeknight works @ Chiswick Roundabout

We have noticed that many drivers are getting speeding tickets from St Johns Wood Park between junctions Queen’s Grove and Boydell Court northbound NW8. Please note that the limit is 20mph.

The Otto Team have noticed that drivers are getting speeding tickets from A4000 Horn Lane near Julian Avenue northbound W3.

Please note, the speed limit is 20mph.

It is a camera enforcement spot. Please always check the signs when you drive to avoid getting a PCN.

According to a recent research conducted by Bonnet, EV drivers can potentially save up to £260 a year by using public chargers overnight.

The research found those using smart off-peak energy tariffs have already saved hundreds in 2023.

Off-peak tariffs are currently offered by a number of major charging networks, such as GeniePoint and Chargy, which are especially helpful for PCO drivers who don’t have a driveway to install a home charger.

The smart tariffs allow drivers to take advantage of cheaper rates overnight.

Assuming normal use, Bonnet’s data shows that EV drivers who take advantage of their Boost packages and off-peak tariffs can save £260 annually.

Fuel prices at a glance 

To help PCO drivers have a quick look at the current fuel costs, we put together the latest average prices of petrol, diesel and EV charging regularly so you don’t have to.

We have noticed that drivers are getting tickets when they failed to give way to pedestrians at zebra crossings. Park Avenue N22 from the photo is one of the many examples.

Please note, if you fail to stop, you could get a £100 fine and 3 penalty points.

Please be vigilant and drive safely.

Non-Tesla EVs can now use Tesla’s Supercharger network in the UK.

With the company’s Non-Tesla Supercharger Pilot, some Supercharger stations are accessible to non-Tesla EV drivers via the Tesla app. Simple select ‘Charge Your Non-Tesla’ and you can find your Supercharger site.

Pricing for non-Tesla drivers varies by site, and you can view charging prices in the Tesla app.

Here are the eligible stations within the M25:

– Uxbridge

– Heathrow

– Romford

– Sidcup

The Supercharger experience will remain unchanged for Tesla drivers.

Learn more about their Non-Tesla Supercharger Pilot here

Following the launch of Uber Green in 2021, Uber has introduced Uber Green Reserve, which allows passengers to pre-book fully electric PCO cars up to 90 days in advance.

Uber Green works in exactly the same way as a regular Uber. The only difference is that it’s only limited to electric PCO cars.

We’ve recently noticed that a significant number of drivers received a ticket for speeding in a 20mph zone, including the following hotspots:

– A4202 Park Lane northbound near Mount Street

– A41 Finchley Road northbound near Queens Grove

– Vauxhall Bridge Road southbound between junctions of Wilton Road and Neathouse Place

– A2199 Croxted Road southbound between junctions with A205 South Circular and Norwood Road

We would like to remind you that new 20mph speed limits have been introduced in five London boroughs: Camden, Islington, Hackney, Haringey and Tower Hamlets.

Please be vigilant and drive safely.

A double bank holiday is coming up. PCO drivers should expect double traffic over the next two weekends.

The RAC estimates this coming weekend will be the busiest May bank holiday since 2016, while the Coronation weekend will be slightly less busy.

Inrix is warning drivers about the potential long delays on the M5 southbound between J15 and J23, and the M6 northbound from J18 to J24.

Over the Coronation long weekend, the RAC expects an even spread of traffic: around 2m trips each day – with the afternoon of 5th and 6th May likely to see the most congestion.

Here are some road works or events that may delay your journey:

–  15 April: Finsbury Park will be hosting the Haringey Tough Mudder event 08:00-18:00

–  15-16 April: A Petrol Headonism event will be taking place 10:30-16:30

–  From 17 April 2023 until January 2024: There will be a series of lane closures on Tolworth roundabout, and on the A240 Kingston Road between Tolworth roundabout and the junction with Jubilee Way. At times, there may be some local diversions in place.

– Until 30 April: There will be 24/7 lane restrictions and speed restrictions on the A40 Western Avenue between the junction with the A4127 Greenford Road and the junction with the A4180 West End Road. There will also be some overnight directional closures 22:00-05:00 each night.

The Otto Team have noticed that drivers are getting tickets from Lambeth Parking when they failed to give way to oncoming vehicles.

It is a camera enforcement spot and the penalty is a £130 fine.

Please always check the signs when you drive to avoid getting a PCN.

The Otto Team have noticed that drivers are getting tickets when dropping passengers off at St Thomas Hospital in the Congestion Charging zone.

We would like to remind you that the drop off zone is in their car park.

Please don’t stop and drop off in a no stopping zone to avoid getting a PCN.

Uber announced it’s offering 10 hours of free childcare for 1,000 of their UK drivers as a trial.

The company said its drivers on average earn £34 an hour in London, and the cost of childcare is often a barrier for women in joining Uber.

Uber’s free childcare will be provided through on-demand app Bubble.

The Blackwall Tunnel will be closed southbound from 10pm on 31 March until 5am on 3 April to facilitate the construction of a new walking and cycling footbridge across the A102 in Greenwich.

The northbound Blackwall Tunnel will not be affected by this closure, but drivers will be subject to local signed diversions on Saturday night while the main bridge span is craned into place over the carriageway.

For more information please refer to the TfL website here

Following the introduction of a tariff for its EV charging in November 2022, Tesco announced to increase its EV charging rates from April 3. 

Its rates will start at 44p/kWh. 

7kW 44p/kWh

22kW 49p/kWh

50kW 62p/kWh

75kW 69p/kWh

Payment is accepted via the Pod Point app for the AC chargers, or by contactless for the rapid points. 

According to the AA, the average cost of using a public AC charger now is 37p/kWh, and a rapid charger costs about 66p/kWh.