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Mayor of London announces new Ultra Low Emission Zone charges
05 April 2017
The date for the introduction of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in London has been announced by the capital’s major and will see the the zone initially apply to the current congestion charge zone.
The major has announced that from 8 April 2019 the most polluting cars, vans and motorbikes with have to pay £12.50 to drive through central London. Buses, coaches and HGVs will pay £100.
Despite tests finding that they are the most demanding to public health, the number of diesel cars in the city has risen.
It is hoped that the move will result in a 50 per cent drop in emissions by 2020. The charges will apply to petrol cars that don’t meet Euro 4 standards and diesel vehicles that do not meet Euro 6 standards.
According to City Hall, approximately this will mean petrol cars more than 13 years old in 2019, and diesel cars over four years old in 2019, will be charged.
A similar scheme for other UK cities will be announced soon according to The Sunday Times. However, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have not confirmed when this will take place.
The ultra-low emission zone covers the same area as the existing congestion zone and will be in addition to the congestion charge
The charge applies to petrol vehicles that don’t meet Euro 4 standards and diesel vehicles that do not meet Euro 6 standards and will apply for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. However, the charge will not apply to residents living in the zone until April 2022 and black cab taxis are exempt.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: "I am not willing to stand by and do nothing."
He added the ULEZ would be a "world first" and was a better option than banning diesel cars altogether as he was "not willing to wait" and the "newest diesels are less polluting".
The mayor also said he hoped to extend the area up to the North and South Circular roads for heavy vehicles in 2020 and for light vehicles during 2021.
The plan for a ULEZ was first announced by Mr Khan's predecessor Boris Johnson although he had said it would begin in 2020.
A further consultation about the ULEZ will run until 25 June 2017.
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