A south London man accused of causing an explosion at a ULEZ camera site in Sidcup last year is set to appear at the Old Bailey later this month. Kevin Rees, 62, of Harcourt Avenue, Sidcup, faces charges related to an explosion near a newly installed ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) camera on Willersley Avenue on December 6, 2023.
Rees has been charged under the Explosive Substances Act 1883 with causing an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property, as well as three counts of possessing a prohibited weapon under the Firearms Act 1968. He was scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court but was absent due to a suspected stroke over the weekend. His preliminary hearing at the Old Bailey is set for November 22. Until then, Rees is out on bail under conditions that include not participating in any ULEZ-related protests.
The incident in Sidcup was one of many acts of vandalism targeting ULEZ cameras across London, where nearly 1,500 cameras have reportedly been damaged or destroyed. Transport for London estimates the cost of each ULEZ camera at around £6,000, adding up to hundreds of thousands of pounds in damages.
In December last year, police also arrested a second man, aged 60, from Horsham in connection with ULEZ-related vandalism. This man was released from the investigation concerning the explosion but faces charges for criminal damage to another ULEZ camera.
In a separate case, Joseph Nicholls, 43, of Sidcup, was recently sentenced for encouraging ULEZ-related vandalism in an anti-ULEZ Facebook group. Nicholls posted messages promoting damage to ULEZ cameras and sent a threatening email to Yunex Traffic, the company operating the cameras. He was given a 10-month suspended jail sentence and ordered to pay £6,800, complete 150 hours of unpaid work, and undergo 15 days of rehabilitation.
Meanwhile, Croydon Mayor Jason Perry and Conservative MP Chris Philp have faced criticism for their roles in a Facebook group opposing ULEZ expansion, which has reportedly hosted content encouraging vandalism and hate speech. Greenpeace’s investigation described the group as a “cesspit of vile racism and hate speech.” The group was archived in May.
The charges and court cases underscore the growing criminal impact of anti-ULEZ activism across London. Authorities are treating some incidents, including the Sidcup explosion, with heightened scrutiny, as they fall under the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command’s jurisdiction.
