Woolwich and Eltham ULEZ boundary to extend to edge of London
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has revealed plans to extend the ULEZ boundary from the south circular to the edge of London in 2023.
A proposal to pay £3.50 to enter London roads has been dropped.
The current boundary in south east London sits at Woolwich near the ferry roundabout, with the zone’s entry running through Eltham.
Proposals are unlikely to generate huge income given the current level of compatible cars on the road. The existing ULEZ saw more than 90 per cent of vehicles eligible – and that figure is now 93.4% according to the latest TfL Board Meeting papers.
That’s because petrol engines 16 years old and newer are exempt, and for diesels it’s seven years. TfL also set up a scrappage scheme which paid out £60 million to owners of older vehicles.
Given TfL’s fare income reduction since the pandemic totals in the billions, it covers barely a fraction of that loss and an expansion is unlikely to make much of a dent.
It’s possible this is a move to please the Department for Transport in negotiations over future funding, with the Dft keen to expand both the Congestion Charge and ULEZ in previous rounds of discussion on funding.
Press release
In a press release today, Khan stated: “The Mayor will also make a commitment in his speech to help charities, small businesses, disabled people and Londoners on lower incomes adapt to the potential London-wide ULEZ, with as big a scrappage scheme as is feasible to help motorists in outer London scrap their older, more polluting vehicles and instead switch to cleaner forms of transport, use a car club vehicle or purchase newer, cleaner models that are ULEZ-compliant.
He will also call on the Government to provide extra support for a scrappage scheme in London – like they have done for other cities around the country.”
He also highlighted congestion causing London £5.1 billion, though ULEZ does little about that if the vast majority of cars are compliant.
Khan decimated TfLs budget when he cam to office and froze fairs. Now, I am leaving London as I have a 25 year old classic BMW that does less than 500 miles per year. Very polluting!
At least the school Mum with her ULEZ Ford Fiesta can rqck up 200,000 miles per year exempt from pollution charge.
Its a joke, like Khans Mayor stewardship. Sadiq who?
I’m not 100% keen as I don’t consider most of the places outside ulez but within the m25 as London. It won’t really affect me as I have a 950cc car but it does feel a bit unnecessary for areas where public transport is worse served and distances are greater. Dartford, Swanley and beyond bexley are basically countryside. There isn’t a trade off either, I.e. A commitment to provide better public transport and cycle infrastructure, just a you pay more approach.
Back in the 50s the Clean Air Act was passed. It banned coal fires in cities and towns in order to reduce pollution that was killing people, much like pollution from cars is killing people now.
I wonder if the Clean Air Act met with the same type of opposition as the ULEZ? What is it about air pollution that some people are so keen on?
This won’t reduce congestion & pollution, at the end of the day car users will pass on the charges and everything will just get dearer. There is no incentive in jumping on useless transport with sky high prices to reduce emmisions, people will just keep pushing prices on to the end user, eventually TFL will go bust and the huge row will be for the poor tax payer to bail them out. You wanna reduce cars on the road reduce transport costs not increase them….
Jason – Are you really leaving London as you cannot drive a late 90s BMW? Seriously? Classics from 1982 are exempt from the charge, but not many see Beemers from the 90s as classics. The 3/5/7 series go for pennies on autotrader and did before ULEZ.
I think you should probably look into TfL’s financing a bit more. Operational budget deficits was heavily reduced from 2016 and on track for break-even. It’s all in public and you cannot just make up accounts which require external checks from auditors. Go have a look. The pandemic saw a 90 per cent drop in fare income. That’s billions in a big city. No where in the world can – or did – withstand it and so cities across the globe were supported by government. Here’s though it’s seen as a point scoring chance by government at the expense of people using a bus or tube.
Will – It’s very odd how some resist change with limiting pollution. I think it’s as simple for some as people cannot see it.
Fact is this impacts a fraction of people. If you are the minority who have a 10 year old diesel I’d sell asap to the many buyers outside the capital who can still drive and buy a slightly newer one.
@Jason B: driving is a privilege and not a right, but you are free to take your privilege and “classic” car elsewhere. Some of us drivers are concerned about pollution and think there should be a check on untrammelled car use.
@Jeff: some people seem to think that the ULEZ is the death of driving. No, buy a less old car. My own car is approaching 16 years old and I shall simply replace it with one that is compliant. It doesn’t need to be new.
Does anyone know when the decision will be made as I have a small refurb company and was looking at getting a bigger van but cannot afford £15-20k to buy a compliant one. So do I carry on building the company or chuck it all in and get a 9-5?
The last expansion has a scrappage scheme for business. There may be another.