If you drive regularly around London or are planning to drive there, then this applies to you – whether you drive a lease vehicle or not!
As we all know, poor air quality caused by vehicle pollution and other factors affects our health, and especially Londoners.
Stopping that problem is what the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is all about: lowering the impact of high-polluting vehicles in and around the city.
But how does it work, and what are the recent changes that have been made?
What Is the London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) And Why Do We Have It?
The Ultra Low Emission Zone (more commonly known as ULEZ) covers a large consisting of Greater London, with its goal being to cut down on air pollution.
Basically, if your car or van produces emissions that go beyond ULEZ emissions standards, then you'll have to pay to drive in the zone.
Obviously, the goal is to improve air quality and cut down on polluting vehicles by getting you to switch to a vehicle that contributes less to air pollution, or to travel around London using public transport instead, therefore improving the city's air quality and reducing illnesses and deaths related to air pollution.
What Are the New ULEZ Rules?
The actual ULEZ rules haven't changed so much – just the area they apply to, which has gotten much larger.
18 times larger, in fact.
The only other change is the penalty charge for not paying, which has risen from its January 2023 rate of £160 to £180 (but it's reduced to £90 if you pay within 14 days).
Where Is the New ULEZ Zone?
When it was first launched in April 2019 by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, the ULEZ zone only covered a small area consisting of central London. Then in October 2021, it expanded up to but not including the North and South Circular roads.
It has now expanded again (as of 29 August 2023) to outer London, making it 18 times bigger and covering an area populated with 5 million Londoners.
In other words, that's 32 London boroughs consisting of central London and outer London, with an extent that borders on the surrounding counties of Essex, Surrey, Hertfordshire, Kent, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.
Why Has it Expanded?
In pushing through the expansion, London Mayor Sadiq Khan stressed the fact that more Londoners are dying prematurely of lung conditions and at risk of developing life-changing illnesses such as cancer, asthma and lung disease, whilst for older people pollution can also mean a higher risk of dementia.
The biggest number of deaths related to air pollution occur in outer London areas, and not central London, which is why the ULEZ has expanded across all London boroughs to encompass that area.
Check If Your Vehicle is ULEZ Compliant
Chances are that your vehicle already meets ULEZ standards, as 9 out of 10 cars seen driving in outer London already do, and ULEZ doesn't actually affect the majority of drivers. So, good news indeed.
Still, it doesn't hurt to check, and the Transport for London (TfL) vehicle checker will let you know if your car's emission output is up to scratch and whether you need to pay the ULEZ charge, the London Low Emission Zone, and/or the Congestion Charge.
What details do you need to input? Well, it's fairly straightforward, and all you need is your country details as well as your vehicle registration number.
Can I Get Support Or a Grant To Buy a Vehicle That Meets the London ULEZ Emission Standards?
The good news is that you can!
If you're a London resident and you have a car or van that doesn't meet the ULEZ air pollution emission standards, then you can apply to the Mayor of London's £160 million scrappage scheme. (Only drivers living within one of the 32 London boroughs or the City of London are eligible.)
If successful, you could be in line to receive a payment to help scrap your high-emissions vehicle and get a new one, or choose a lower payment and get 1 or 2 Transport for London Annual Bus & Tram passes worth more than the payment alone.
Vehicle Full scrap grant
Motorbikes below Euro 5 standard £1,000
Petrol cars below Euro 4 standard £2,000
Diesel cars below Euro 6 standard £2,000
Non-compliant wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAV) £5,000 to scrap or retrofit
Was There Any Action Against the ULEZ Expansion?
Some.
A group of five Conservative-led councils launched a High Court challenge against the Mayor's plans. Despite that appeal not being successful, a minor debate still lingers over the most recent ULEZ expansion.
There's an argument that the changes will adversely affect a number of working families on low incomes who cannot afford to replace an older car, even with the financial help offered by the scrappage scheme. Asked if he was targeting drivers in an Sky News interview, Mr Khan responded: "absolutely not".
Mr Khan admitted on the day of the expansion that the ULEZ expansion was a "difficult but vital" move and that he has been "listening to the concerns" of those opposed to having to pay more.
The Labour party's loss in the South Ruislip and Uxbridge by-election was also blamed on the ULEZ expansion, despite the best efforts of the candidate to distance himself from Mr Khan's policy.
Do I Still Have to Pay the Congestion Charge?
Yes, but the £15 Congestion Charge is separate from the ULEZ charge and applies regardless of whether your vehicle is ULEZ compliant.
Luckily, the Congestion Charge only applies to a small central area around the City of London, so depending on where you're travelling, there's less chance of you having to cough up for it.
How Much Does the ULEZ Cost?
If you enter the zone and your vehicle doesn't meet the required emissions standards (which as mentioned, you can check on the Transport for London website), then you must pay a £12.50 daily charge.
(Note: the above applies for drivers of all cars, motorcycles and vans up to and including 3.5 tonnes.)
When Does the London ULEZ Apply?
The London ULEZ applies 24 hours a day every single day of the year, except Christmas Day (if you didn't know . . . that's 25th December).
So no escape!
If I Don't Pay the ULEZ Charge, Will I Receive a Penalty Fine?
Unfortunately, yes.
Transport for London makes use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras which carry out checks on every single vehicle that enters the zone. So if your car or van doesn't the required ULEZ emission standards and you fail to pay the daily toll, then you can expect to receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).
The charge is £180, or £90 if you pay within 14 days. (HINT: pay within 14 days!)
Has It Helped Reduce Pollution?
Absolutely, and the most recent ULEZ expansion is predicted to help reduce air pollution even more.
According to a City Hall report, the first expansion of ULEZ to the South and North Circular Roads in October 2021 led to a drastic reduction in harmful air pollution.
Data showed that the expansion led to a 60% reduction in non-compliant vehicles inside the ULEZ, taking the equivalent of 74,000 polluting vehicles off the roads per day. Whilst the move also reduced overall traffic within the area by almost 5% (amounting to about 50,000 cars).
Also, the toxic nitrogen dioxide concentrations in Central London are estimated to be 49% lower than they would be without the ULEZ, and in inner London those same concentrations are 22% lower.
However, there is a small amount of conflicting evidence, as a study by Imperial College London suggested that the reduction was less than 3% for nitrogen dioxide and insignificant for PM2.5 concentrations.
Obviously, the most recent ULEZ expansion hasn't been in place for long, so it's difficult to say just what impact it'll have, but according to Mr Khan, the expanded zone will "make further progress" by reducing nitrogen oxides from vans and cars in outer London by 7% and 10% respectively, and also reducing PM2.5 concentrations in outer London by almost 16%.
Happy days.
Who Is Exempt?
-
London-licensed taxis
-
All vehicles registered before January 1, 1973 ('historical vehicle' tax class), including for commercial use.
-
All owners of registered ‘disabled’ or ‘disabled passenger’ vehicles (until October 26, 2027)
-
Drivers of Wheelchair-Accessible Vehicles (WAVs) (until October 26, 2027)
-
Blue Badge holders (until October 26, 2027)
In addition, minibuses for community transport will also have a grace period until October 2025.
In terms of fuel type, the only fuel type certain to avoid the daily charge is fully electric, with the condition that the vehicle must be able to drive solely on electric power for a minimum of 20 miles.
How Do I Pay the ULEZ?
Transport for London makes it fairly straightforward for you to pay by offering a number of payment methods depending on how frequently you drive into and around the Greater London area:
-
On the Transport for London website: here you can register your vehicle for Auto Pay to ensure that the charge is paid automatically. No stress, no hassle. (There's an annual £10 admin fee per vehicle, and a Fleet Auto Pay service is also available to business customers who use more than 5 vehicles.)
-
Via the Transport for London's Pay to Drive in London smartphone app
-
By phone on the number 0343 222 2222 (Transport for London call charges apply)
-
By setting up a London Road User Charging account, which will allow you to set up Auto Pay for up to 5 vehicles and pay ULEZ charges automatically, resulting in faster payments. There's also the option to give up to 5 people access to your London Road User Charging account.
Summary
So, you now know about the London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expansion and what it hopes to achieve and why.
The new zone expansion and the associated charges apply whether you drive a PCP, a Hire Purchase or a lease car, so just make sure that your vehicle meets the required emissions standards so that you don't face unexpected fees.
Or if your car doesn't meet the emissions standards, consider taking the tube or train around London!