Ulez 'hack' can save drivers hundreds of pounds a year after controversial expansion
Drivers of non-compliant vehicles are charged £12.50 to drive in Greater London
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A clever new “hack” could save drivers from being charged the £12.50 daily charge from London’s newly expanded Ultra Low Emission Zone.
The Ulez scheme has now been expanded to include all London boroughs in Greater London, with boundaries along county lines for the Home Counties.
For those who may be hybrid working between home and London, some drivers may now have to pay the £12.50 daily charge a few times a week with the expansion.
Motorists who enter the zone with a non-compliant vehicle just one day a week will be charged a staggering £650 a year.
The Ulez was expanded on August 29
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To be compliant, a petrol vehicle must be registered after 2005, although a small number of vehicles made after 2001 are also eligible.
Diesel vehicles must meet Euro 6 standards, which require them to have been registered after September 2015.
Any motorists travelling into central London every weekday for a year will be charged around £3,250, as well as £3,900 from the Congestion Charge.
James Armstrong, CEO of Veygo, advised drivers that temporary car insurance could be the way forward to avoid the daily charge.
When commuting into Greater London, motorists may only need to use their cars for a few hours of the day, but rack up a hefty charge in the process.
By borrowing a friend or family member’s Ulez-compliant vehicle for a few hours a day or a few days of the month, potentially saving hundreds of pounds a year.
James Armstrong added: “People living in the expanded zone and nearby towns are understandably concerned with these new, extra costs for travelling into and around London by car.
“With these additional charges coming into effect and covering all of the Greater London boroughs, people are going to be forced to adapt their travel habits, with some being forced to give up driving altogether.
“Those who need to drive infrequently will be far better off getting one-day-cover and borrowing a mate’s car, rather than paying ULEZ charges or considering an expensive car upgrade.”
This does not only apply to those working in the capital, but those who may be moving house, running errands or visiting popular tourist attractions.
Places including Wimbledon, Wembley Stadium, Chessington World of Adventures and Heathrow Airport are now all included inside the expanded Ulez.
It is estimated that over 90 per cent of cars driving in outer London now meet Ulez standards, Transport for London statistics found.
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The Ulez expansion was met with widespread protests
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With the expansion now live, Mayor Sadiq Khan said he hoped it would reduce harmful carbon emissions in outer London.