Operated by Transport for London, the ULEZ ruling will be in force 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year except on Christmas Day. There will be a fee of £12.50 per day for the most polluting cars, vans, and motorbikes. This daily charge is in addition to the congestion charge if you drive in central London as well! This comes as a mighty blow. The additional consideration is that, if you do not pay by midnight the day following your journey, you can be charged up to £180.
If vehicles meet certain emissions standards, they are exempt from the fee. For petrol vehicles that is ‘Euro 4’ and for diesel it is ‘Euro 6’. Generally, exempt petrol cars are those first registered with the DVLA after 2005, although cars that meet the standards have been available since 2001. Diesel cars that meet the standards are generally those first registered with the DVLA after September 2015.
If you are unsure, Transport for London provide a number plate checker where you can verify whether your vehicle is exempt from charges.
All-electric models are exempt as more and more people are looking to transition to this sector of the market. For those who are still anxious about range, the good news is that hybrid cars with a petrol engine complying with Euro 4 regs are exempt, as are diesel hybrids if they meet Euro 6 standards.
If the vehicle does not meet emissions standards, Blue Badge holders need to pay the charge unless it is registered with the DVLA as having a ‘disabled’ or ‘disabled passenger vehicle’ tax class.
Why is Sadiq Khan so set on implementing this initiative? He sees it as a matter of life and death.
Pollution levels have reduced by almost half in the city centre since the London Congestion Charge began.
“…there is still far too much toxic air pollution permanently damaging the health of young Londoners and leading to thousands of early deaths every year, with the greatest number of deaths in the outer London boroughs.” (Sadiq Khan)