London expands world’s first ultra low emission zone 

LONDON on Monday (25) widened the area motorists with older and more polluting cars will have to pay £12.50 ($17.25) to drive in, as part of efforts to improve air quality.

The ultra low emission zone (ULEZ) has already been operational in the city centre and will now apply up to the North and South Circular roads, stretching to Tottenham in the north and Brixton in the south.

The charge affects petrol cars that do not meet at least Euro 4 standards, which became mandatory in 2005, and diesel cars not at Euro 6 levels or higher, in place since September 2015.

A £15 Congestion Charge in central London also applies between 0700 and 2200 BST, although exemptions apply.

London mayor Sadiq Khan has provided £61 million in funding for grants for small businesses, charities operating minibuses and low-income and disabled Londoners to scrap their older, more polluting vehicles.

“In central London, the ULEZ has already helped cut toxic roadside nitrogen dioxide pollution by nearly half and led to reductions that are five times greater than the national average. But pollution isn’t just a central London problem, which is why expanding the ULEZ today will benefit Londoners across the whole of the city and is a crucial step in London’s green recovery from this pandemic," Khan said.

“This is also about social justice – we know pollution hits the poorest Londoners, who are least likely to own a car, the hardest, which is why I’m doing everything I can to improve air quality and protect the health of all Londoners. I will not stand by while pollution leads to 4,000 Londoners dying early each year and our children growing up with stunted lungs."

Alex Williams, TfL's director of city planning, said: “More than 20 million motorists have already checked the compliance of their vehicle since 2018, and if you still unsure please use our checker. We are now seeing 87 per cent vehicles in the zone meeting the standard, this is much than we would have expected if the scheme hadn’t been introduced, and it highlights how the scheme has already been effective in cleaning up London’s air."

Cities and nations around the world have plans to ban, restrict or impose levies on combustion engine-powered vehicles to cut pollution.

Electric cars with better single-charge ranges and government incentives are also shifting demand.