How to avoid £160 ULEZ fine with simple Google Maps trick

Drivers could face an extra charge of £160 if they drive through the ULEZ area without noticing.

Google Maps has introduced a clever trick to make sure you're aware when you're about to head into a ULEZ charge area and it can help you avoid a fine.

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ULEZ, or the ultra-low emission zone, is an area of London where polluting vehicles must pay a charge to use the roads.

If you drive through the ULEZ and don't pay the £12.50 daily charge, you will be fined £160 - which is reduced to £80 if paid within 14 days.

But there are ways to avoid having to pay the ULEZ daily charge.

Having a petrol car that meets the Euro 6 emission standard will see you exempt from paying the charge.

Electric vehicles also don't have to pay the ULEZ charge.

If paying the ULEZ charge is unavoidable to you but don't want to run the risk of driving through the area, Google Maps have installed a handy tool to help you.

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Via the phone Google Maps app, Google Maps will let you know if your journey will take you through the ULEZ.

Here's how to check for yourself.

Firstly, open Google Maps up on your phone and enter the destination you are looking to drive to.

Click directions via car which will bring up the quickest route to get to your destination.

On the map, the ULEZ will pop up to show you if your destination is within that area.

Google Maps will also have a warning below the map saying 'London Ultra Low Emission Zone on route'.

Click on it and it will pop up with a link to the TfL website to see if your car is impacted by the ULEZ.

If your destination is outside the ULEZ zone but you run a risk of driving through it, Google Maps will recommend a different way for you to go to avoid the ULEZ altogether.

Navigational app Waze, which is also a subsidiary of Google, already had a feature to avoid such zones before implementing it on Google Maps.

Google Maps via internet webpage currently does not have this feature so if it will benefit you, download the Google Maps app.

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