Yahoo News Most polluting vehicles in central London cut by more than a third
The ultra low emissions zone has cut the number of the most polluting vehicles in central London by more than a third while raising £51 million in its first four months.
Figures for the £12.50-a-day scheme show it has proved even more successful than predicted at discouraging the use of the dirtiest cars, vans and motorbikes since being launched on April 8.
The number of “non-compliant” vehicles entering the zone — which uses congestion charge boundaries — on weekdays between 7am and 6pm has fallen by 12,524 a day, or about 35 per cent, from 35,578 in March to 23,054 in July.
Over the same period, there has been a 9.7 per cent increase in the number of vehicles meeting the tough new emission rules, showing Londoners are increasingly switching to “greener” cars to avoid the levy.
The total number of vehicles within the zone has fallen from 121,664 in an average 24-hour period in April to 116,082 in July.
More than 75 per cent now comply with the rules.
Mayor Sadiq Khan, who plans to extend the Ulez to the North and South Circular roads in 2021 if re-elected next May, said: “Today’s figures prove that the Ulez continues to have a significant impact with 12,500 fewer older, polluting vehicles now coming into the zone compared with March.
“These older vehicles send harmful emissions into our air and lungs and I will continue to take bold action to protect Londoners from this invisible killer. It is highly encouraging to see that so many motorists and businesses are helping reduce pollution by driving cleaner vehicles into the zone.”
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Today’s figures, from Transport for London, reveal that 14,950 drivers a day paid the 24/7 charge in July, generating about £180,000 a day.
A further 2,791 a day were sent a £130 penalty ticket, discounted to £65 if paid within a fortnight, for failing to pay. This generated at least a further £180,000 a day.
Black cabs and residents are exempt.
The total income of £51 million since April is £26.3 million less than TfL had budgeted, due to its greater than expected deterrent effect.
TfL insists the scheme was not set up as a money-maker but as a way to tackle toxic air. The first figures on air quality are due in November.
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Tory mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey said the Ulez income should be used to buy more electric buses.
“The best way to clean up our capital’s air is to remove the dirty diesel buses emitting their fumes all over the city,” he said.
Lib-Dem candidate Siobhan Benita said it was a “welcome development” but called for “even more ambitious policies” to clean up London’s air.
She said: “The long-promised car scrappage scheme needs to start operating, we need to speed up the rollout of electric buses and consider how much further we can go with Ulez.”
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