ULEZ: Send non-compliant vehicles to Ukraine? Sadiq Khan says most cars and vans ‘not suitable’

A novel idea of sending vehicles which do not meet the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) standards to Ukraine has largely been ruled out, as Sadiq Khan said the majority are “not suitable”.

Under the ULEZ scrappage scheme, all drivers of non-compliant cars and motorbikes, and certain businesses and other groups with vans or minibuses, are able to apply for a grant from Transport for London (TfL) in exchange for scrapping their motor.

The latest data from TfL shows that, between January 30 and August 17, 6,095 applications for cars had been approved, out of 16,555 filed. For vans and minibuses, 6,798 from a total of 24,500 had received the green light.

During this morning’s (October 12) Mayor’s Question Time, Conservative assembly member and chair of the assembly, Andrew Boff, queried what actions Mr Khan was taking to send vehicles which would otherwise be scrapped to support the Ukrainian people.

Mr Khan said the deputy mayor for environment and energy, Shirley Rodrigues, had written to the chief executives of the London Fire Brigade, Met Police and London Ambulance service to see if any decommissioned vehicles could be donated.

So far, he said the Brigade had donated two “pumping appliances”, plus first-aid and safety equipment.

He added: “It is important any vehicles we donate directly help meet Ukraine’s needs. Recent discussions with officials in Kiev have confirmed that only certain vehicle types are suitable and desirable, namely heavy duty models.”

The mayor said this meant “regular cars and vans which make up the vast majority of vehicles being scrapped under the ULEZ scrappage scheme are not suitable for their current needs”.

Mr Boff however said he had spoken to charities, including the Car for Ukraine volunteering initiative, that told him a different story, and had identified other needs for which such donations would be suitable.

“It appears as though we will continue to scrap vehicles in London under the ULEZ expansion that could be of use to the war effort.”

Mr Khan reiterated there is a “specific ask” when it comes to vehicles being requested by Ukraine, though that City Hall will do all it can “in relation to the support we can give”.

Mr Boff ended by calling on the mayor to “review what those charities are saying, because there seems to be a slight disconnect between what charities say is possible, and what you have now reported back from conversations with Kiev”.

Earlier in the session, Mr Khan had said he is “absolutely appalled by Russia’s ongoing illegal invasion of Ukraine”, and that the capital stands in solidarity with the millions of Ukrainians affected by the war, “those in London, and those around the world”.

The ULEZ was expanded on August 29, from the North and South Circular roads to the whole of greater London, which the mayor and TfL say was in a bid to clean up the capital’s air.

Critics have however raised concerns about its implementation during a cost of living crisis, with those driving non-compliant vehicles liable to pay a £12.50 daily charge.