ULEZ: Emissions in central London cut by 46% since expansion, report says

The initial expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) has reduced harmful pollution in inner and outer London, according to a new City Hall report.

The data found that harmful pollution emissions have reduced by 46% in central London compared to what they would have been without ULEZ and by 21% in the wider inner London zone.

The expansion has also seen a 60% reduction in the number of non-compliant vehicles being driven in inner London, an average reduction of 74,000 polluting vehicles every day.

The report comes amidst political opposition the mayor of London Sadiq Khan is facing as he plans to expand the ULEZ to outer London this summer.

ULEZ aims to cut pollution levels across London by charging drivers of vehicles that do not meet minimum emissions standards £12.50 a day.

Currently, drivers are only charged to enter the area within London’s North and South-Circular roads.

The report, peer-reviewed by Dr Gary Fuller, an expert on urban pollution at Imperial College London looked at the levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions in each area.

It calculated that since the zone was introduced four years ago, NOx emissions have reduced by 23% across London as a whole compared with what would be their estimated level if the scheme had not been introduced, and 26% lower within the zone.

City Hall said all of London still exceeded the World Health Organization’s guidelines for air quality, and more than half of deaths attributable to air pollution were in outer London.

It added that about 4,000 Londoners died prematurely each year due to toxic air.

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said:“The evidence from this landmark report is clear – the ULEZ works.

“This is beyond dispute.

“With the majority of deaths attributable to air pollution in outer London, it’s vital that we expand the ULEZ London-wide.

“As Mayor, I simply won’t accept that the five million people in outer London shouldn’t be able to benefit from the same life-saving health impacts that ULEZ has already brought to the rest of our city.

“Everyone has the right to breathe clean air.”

The ULEZ was introduced in central London in 2019 and expanded to inner London in October 2021.

At the end of August the ULEZ borders are due to be extended again, covering all 32 London boroughs.

11 outer London councils have expressed concerns over its expansion, with many asking the mayor to delay or improve the scrappage scheme to support people during the cost-of-living crisis.

Conservative councils Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Harrow and Hillingdon previously released a joint statement about the ULEZ extension, saying they will "do everything in our power to stop it from going ahead".

The coalition of councils is considering legal action to try to block the scheme.

Addressing criticisms of the ULEZ expansion, Mr Khan said: “To be fair to Conservatives, they’ve opposed me from day one when it comes to cleaning up the air in our city.

“I’ve seen the evidence in relation to how poisonous the air is, I’ve spoken to bereaved families, I’ve spoken to health experts.

“Toxic air is a killer, we need to clean up the air sooner rather than later.”