Transport for London (TfL) has faced criticism for changing Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) scrappage schemes without informing the public.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) has found that TfL made changes to two schemes set up in 2023 to provide Londoners with grants to scrap or retrofit non-compliant vehicles in preparation for the expansion of the ULEZ.

However, TfL introduced changes ‘without following due process' which meant any minibuses or vans with outstanding penalty charge notices (PCNs) would not be eligible unless the charges were ‘paid or resolved'.

It also altered the schemes so that vehicles that were previously used as licensed taxis in the year before the scheme launched would not be covered.

According to LGO, the transport authority failed to notify the public when these changes were implemented, meaning that owners of now-ineligible vehicles were still applying to the schemes, unaware that it was a futile endeavour.

Amerdeep Clarke, local government and social care ombudsman, said: ‘We recognise why Transport for London decided to update its vehicle scrappage schemes. But failing to clearly communicate these changes to potential applicants does not reflect the core principles of fair, transparent and honest public service.

‘We welcome Transport for London's commitment to publishing any future updates to these, and similar schemes, on its website, ensuring residents are properly informed if and when any changes will take effect.'

In response to these criticisms, TfL has agreed that it will ‘ensure there is a formal documented process' in future for determining and approving any changes to the terms and conditions of schemes such as these, adding that it will also ensure it ‘promptly publishes any changes' on its website.

A TfL spokesperson said: 'We made some changes to the ULEZ scrappage scheme to protect public money and ensure that payments were being received by those who the funding was aimed at supporting. This included making alterations to the eligibility criteria so that those who refused to settle outstanding penalty charges would not be successful in their application and grants were not available to drivers of taxis that had been licensed in the 12 months prior to the launch of the scheme.

'While these changes to the scheme were important to make, we welcome the LGO's recommendations to improve the communication and process of any rule revisions to any potential similar scheme.'