Applications for drivers to donate their vehicles to Ukraine through the Ulez scrappage scheme is now available, although the public seems less than impressed.
A number of motorists have criticised the move, questioning why the vehicles are not suitable for the UK but are good enough to be driven in Ukraine.
The scheme, which is funded by the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, offers drivers money in exchange for donating their non-Ulez-compliant vehicle to Ukraine, rather than scrapping or retrofitting it.
The scheme sees drivers in London receive a grant of up to £2,000 in compensation for sending a car or up to £1,000 for a motorcycle that didn’t comply with Ulez rules to Ukraine.
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Drivers can receive £2,000 for donating their vehicles to Ukraine
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For wheelchair accessible vehicles there is a payment of £10,000 to scrap or £6,000 to retrofit to the Ulez standards.
Taking to social media to criticise the new rules, one person said: “Hilarious... too dirty for our once great capital, however perfectly OK for Ukraine. Whatever planet Ukraine is on obviously doesn't need saving.
“How much is he charging them, Mayor Khan - the cars salesman?”
Another person stated: “I take it diesel and petrol won’t affect the climate in Ukraine then. Wake up silly people how is sending the vehicles elsewhere to be used going to help the climate?”
Posting on Facebook, a user added: “So these cars aren’t environmentally fit for British roads and air.
“But they’re perfectly good enough to pollute the air in Ukraine. Either these cars are unfit for use or they’re not. You can spew your environmental crap Britain and not bother with it anywhere else.”
The scheme is being organised alongside charity British-Ukrainian Aid which will act as the intermediary to help move the vehicles.
To be Ulez compliant, petrol cars need to be registered as new with the DVLA after 2005, although cars that meet the standards have been available since 2001.
For diesel cars to be compliant with Ulez emissions standards, they need to be registered with the DVLA as new after September 2015.
However, not everyone is against the move, one person remarked that people should give credit where it's due.
She said: “Ulez is a success, so much so there's policy makers heading to London from all over the world to see how it works.”
Vehicles will be permanently
removed from the UK following their donation to Ukraine with the charity
handling the transition across Europe.
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The Ulez area was expanded in August 2023
PAThe Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said the office has worked quickly to amend the scrappage scheme so that non-compliant vehicles can be donated to Ukraine, helping to meet medical and humanitarian needs while also removing old, polluting vehicles from London’s roads.
There is currently a £210million in the scrappage scheme on offer to Londoners to help them remove the most polluting vehicles off the road.