Mayor Sadiq Khan’s controversial plans to expand London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) came into force on Tuesday.
In spite of widespread pushback from motorists and MPs, as well as legal challenges from five councils, it is now 18 times larger and covers all of the capital’s 32 boroughs
Mr Khan described it as a “landmark day” that would lead to a “greener, healthier London for everyone.”
He claims the £12.50 fee per day for non-compliant vehicles – typically pre-2015 diesel and pre-2006 petrol cars – will reduce deaths from illnesses linked to air pollution and help curb climate change.
Those caught evading the charge face a £180 fine. Still unsure if your area is affected? Check Express.co.uk’s map and searchable table below.
Although the Central London Congestion Charge was ushered in by then-mayor Ken Livingstone, ULEZ was the brainchild of Boris Johnson.
Announced in 2015, it debuted in 2019, covering only the innermost boroughs. In 2021, Mr Khan expanded its reach to the North and South Circulars.
Off the back of research suggesting the highest rates of premature deaths were in outer London boroughs, the Zone’s borders have now burgeoned out to London’s borders with Surrey, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.
An extra five million people, many of whom need to commute into the city centre on a daily basis and benefit from fewer transport links, are now subject to the new regulations.
Enter the name of your town into the search bar of the table below to see if you could be impacted.
On Tuesday morning, Mr Khan acknowledged his decision to expand the ULEZ London-wide was “a difficult one”, but one that was “necessary to save lives, protect children’s lungs and help prevent asthma, dementia and other health issues.”
In defiance of his critics, the London mayor added: “The easiest thing for me to do would have been to kick the can down the road, but we simply don’t have time to waste. I am not prepared to stand idly by when we have the ability to save lives and help tackle the climate crisis.”
Many, however, have called the imposition of the extra charge ill-timed in the context of the cost-of-living crisis. Last month, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urged Mr Khan to “think twice” about his expansion plan, deeming them an “unnecessary extra tax” at a time when inflation remained debilitatingly high.
As of January, 15 percent of cars in Outer London were estimated to be non-compliant with ULEZ emission standards.
According to RAC analysis of DVLA data, just over 850,000 vehicles – including motorbikes, vans and trucks – are believed to be liable for the daily charge throughout the whole of the capital.
