ULEZ is working ‘better than expected’ at reducing air pollution says City Hall report

Transport for London (TfL) found that PM2.5 gases given off by vehicles had gone down by 22% - compared to if the mayor of London had not expanded the £12.50 charge zone.

While nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions from cars are estimated to have lowered by 13% and from vans by 7% than a scenario without the expansion. This is equivalent to removing 200,000 cars from the road for one year, the report says.

The ULEZ, which was expanded to outer London on August 29 2023, brought five million more Londoners into the zone. 

Get the latest headlines, straight to your inbox, with LondonWorld’s free emails

The six month report carried out by City Hall said NO2 concentrations in outer London are estimated to be 21% lower than without the ULEZ and its expansions.

It added that 96% of vehicles seen driving in London as a whole are now compliant, with a 53% reduction in non-compliant vehicles in only six months.

Sadiq Khan said: “Today’s report shows that the ULEZ is working even better than expected. 

“The expansion to outer London is already having a significant effect – driving down levels of pollution, taking old polluting cars off our roads and bringing cleaner air to millions more Londoners.

“It's thanks to our bold policies, including ULEZ, that we are now set to get London’s air to within legal limits by 2025, 184 years earlier than previously projected. 

“But there’s still more to do and I promise to continue taking bold action – including more to clean up our air and rivers – as we build a fairer, greener London for everyone.”

However, the City Hall Conservatives said the improvements were “minimal” when compared with the estimated £500m of public money spent expanding the zone.

Tory group leader Neil Garratt said: “The Conservative group were clear from the off that we absolutely supported improving air quality, but the case for the expansion simply did not add up. We can now see that reflected very clearly in the mayor’s own data.

“At the same time, we cannot forget there are many Londoners on low incomes who own non-compliant vehicles they purchased through finance. The scrappage scheme does not cover the amount they still owe on the vehicle, meaning they are trapped paying the £12.50 daily charge.”

Green assembly member Caroline Russell called on the mayor to go further with measures to reduce traffic and improve public transport.

"It's great to have a report that shows the ULEZ has worked throughout London to reduce pollution a little, but we need bold, brave steps to urgently transform the ways we travel round our city now," she said.

Hirra Khan Adeogun, co-director of climate charity Possible, said: "Today’s ULEZ report shows that we really can clean up our air with simple, sensible public health policy that protects millions of Londoners from the harm of toxic air that literally shrinks children's lungs and shortens the lives of residents."

Simon Birkett, founder and director of Clean Air in London said: “Big low emission zones work well. Reductions in emissions of oxides of nitrogen (“NOx”) from cars and vans in outer London of 13% and 7% respectively and up to 4.4% in weather-adjusted concentrations nitrogen dioxide (“NO2”), a toxic gas, at roadsides are excellent early results from the ninth phase of low and ultra low emission zones in London affecting the last group of vehicles in the last part of the city where roads spread out. Millions of people will benefit.

“Clean Air in London urges the mayor to encourage people to stop buying diesel vehicles, support alternatives to driving and set an aim for London to be diesel-free by 2030.”