Sadiq 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 in a bid to reduce pollution and congestion.
The ULEZ was only expanded from the Congestion Charge Zone to the North and South Circular roads last October.
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”.
The expansion of the scheme will mean that drivers of the most polluting vehicles which don’t comply with minimum emissions standards will have to pay £12.50 a day to drive anywhere in the capital.
In light of his latest plan, Mr Khan has decided against introducing a Clean Air Charge, which would have affected drivers of all but the cleanest vehicles.
He has also dropped proposals to charge drivers of vehicles registered outside London for entering the capital.
The mayor said the rising cost of living was a key consideration: “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.”
He is also considering a scrappage scheme to support those on low incomes, disabled people and businesses.
Mr Khan’s long-term plans include exploring how motorists can be charged on a per mile basis depending on how polluting their vehicle is, congestion levels in the area and access to public transport.
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RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “Expanding the ULEZ is preferable to the other charges that the mayor previously mooted, so it’s welcome he has seen sense and dropped those proposals, particularly given the cost-of-living crisis.
“While the ultra-low emission zone will rightly target the most polluting vehicles, it’s vital Londoners have enough time to upgrade to compliant vehicles, and that the scrappage scheme benefits those least able to afford to switch.”
To avoid the daily £12.50 charge to enter the ULEZ, diesel cars must generally have been registered after September 2015, while most petrol cars registered from 2005 are exempt.
An extra 3.5 million people will live within the ULEZ if the area is expanded as planned, according to analysis by the PA news agency.
The mayor’s office estimated that an additional 135,000 vehicles a day would be affected.
Is this expansion vital for reducing pollution or unfair on drivers? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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