ULEZ scrappage scheme expansion date confirmed by TfL commissioner, Andy Lord

Transport for London (TfL) commissioner Andy Lord has confirmed the date the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) scrappage scheme will be extended to support more Londoners.

Mayor Sadiq Khan announced in June that the ULEZ scrappage scheme, under which people who meet certain criteria can apply for support to upgrade or trade-in their non-compliant vehicles, would be expanded from the end of July.

While Mr Khan told LondonWorld at the time that TfL was working to bring that launch date forward, the transport authority recently confirmed the extension would be rolled-out as planned at the end of the month.

In his commissioner’s report published ahead of tomorrow’s TfL board meeting (July 25), Andy Lord has finally given a date, July 31, when the additional support will be introduced. A TfL spokesperson has further clarified this is when the extension is to be launched.

Mr Lord wrote: “On 1 June, it was confirmed the scheme would be expanded to: provide support to all small businesses in London with 50 or fewer employees; enable charities operating in London to scrap or retrofit up to three vans or minibuses instead of just one; and include all London families receiving child benefit.

“This additional support will launch on 31 July. At the same time, applications will open for two new grace periods for small businesses and charities who have booked a retrofit or ordered a new vehicle but are unable to receive it ahead of 29 August.”

Those eligible for the scheme can either receive direct payment, including up to £2,000 for scrapping a car and between £5,000 and £9,500 for vans and minibuses, or packages supporting alternative transport methods, such as lower payment plus bus and tram passes.

The ULEZ expansion, penned in for August 29, has come under intense scrutiny in recent days, after it was deemed to be a decisive factor in Labour not winning the Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat from the Tories last Thursday (July 20).

The mayor has said he will be continuing with the scheme, though is understood to be in “listening mode”, particularly around ways of mitigating the financial impact on those with non-compliant vehicles.

Once expanded, most drivers in greater London with non-compliant vehicles will be liable to pay a £12.50 daily charge.

The end of July is also when a High Court judgement on the legality of the ULEZ expansion is due to be issued, after a judicial review was launched by five Conservative councils.