London’s controversial decision to expand its Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) has been hailed a success, at least by clean air advocates and the capital’s bean counters. New figures from Transport for London show that the number of older, more polluting vehicles being driven into Greater London has dropped by 45 percent since the ULEZ expansion, and the dirty cars that still enter are helping TfL collect millions of pounds in fines.
TfL data says that 93,000 high-polluting vehicles are now driving into the capital each day, that figure down 77,000 from a daily average of 170,000 before the ULEZ net was widened to take in 33 London boroughs in a drive to cut traffic pollution.
But that still means thousands of older petrol and diesel cars that don’t meet the ULEZ emissions rules are entering the zone, with most choosing to pay the daily £12.50 ($15) charge. In total, almost £23.6 million ($28.7 m) has been raised from daily charges in the scheme’s first month since being expanded, with an additional £2.4 million ($2.9 m) coming from fines of £180 ($219) levied on those who forgot, or opted not to bother paying the charge.
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The penalty was only instated after a four-week amnesty during which drivers not paying the daily charge simply received a warning letter, London Mayor Sadiq Khan estimating that the capital missed out on £16.6 million ($20.2 m) in fines.
“I’ve always said that the decision to expand the ULEZ was very difficult, but a month on from the expansion we can already see that it is working,” Khan said, as reported by The Standard.
“This new data shows 95 percent of vehicles seen driving in London on an average day now comply with our air quality standards – a 10 percentage point increase since I began to consult on the Ulez expansion in May 2022. This will make a huge difference to the lives and health of Londoners.”
Khan will have to wait until the scheme’s one-year anniversary to know for sure if the program has cut vehicle emissions, by which time he may no longer be in office. His Conservative party rival, Susan Hall, claims the scheme is an attack on motorists that only makes the cost of living crisis worse and has pledged to axe the ULEZ expansion on day one, should she get elected.