Sadiq Khan extends war on motorists with plan to expand Ultra Low Emission Zone to whole of London

Motorists across the entirety of London could be hit by a £12.50 per day charge as Sadiq Khan seeks to expand the city’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez).

Mr Khan has asked Transport for London (TfL) to consult on extending the scheme’s boundary from the North and South Circular Roads to the whole of Greater London by the end of next year.

Drivers of vehicles which do not comply with minimum emissions standards are charged a daily fee of £12.50 for entering the Ulez area.

Drivers of vehicles registered outside London will not be charged for entering the capital.

The mayor has also asked TfL to explore how motorists can be charged on a per mile basis depending on how polluting their vehicles are, the level of congestion in the area and access to public transport.

But a City Hall document notes the required technology for such a scheme is “still years away from being ready”.

Howard Cox, founder of Fair Fuel UK and champion of the motorist, has previously said that Sadiq Khan’s Ulez expansion will drive a number of businesses “to the wall”.

Whether or not a vehicle is liable for the charge depends on how much nitrogen dioxide (NO2) it emits.

For diesel cars to avoid the charge they must generally have been registered after September 2015, while most petrol models registered from 2005 are also exempt.

Mr Khan, who announced his plan to expand the Ulez on a visit to Forest Hill School in south-east London, said: “In weighing up the different options, the rising cost of living was a key consideration for me.

“Because at a time when people’s budgets are under pressure, I’m not willing to ask people to pay more unless I’m absolutely convinced it’s justified to save lives and protect the health of Londoners.

“I believe the proposal to extend the Ulez London-wide will have the biggest effect on emissions and congestion relative to the potential financial impact on Londoners as a whole.

“We are also proposing to introduce the biggest scrappage scheme feasible to help Londoners on low incomes, disabled Londoners and businesses.”

The Ulez was only expanded from the Congestion Charge area to the North and South Circular roads in October 2021.

But Mr Khan said there is “still far too much toxic air pollution permanently damaging the lungs of young Londoners and leading to thousands of deaths every year”.