London ULEZ Anti-Pollution Charge Zone 18x Size of Original – Who Pays?

The London ULEZ pollution charge came into force today, 25 October 2021. London’s extended ultra-low emissions zone – or ULEZ – is 18 times the size of the original zone, which was introduced in April 2019 and based on the area covered by the congestion charge.

The charge is being introduced at a time when many people’s personal finance situation is under pressure.

Vehicles that do not meet the minimum air quality levels face a charge of £12.50 per day, forcing many motorists to get rid of polluting vehicles, which is of course the objective of the new law.

The ultra-low emission zone covers all the area within the North and South Circular ring roads.

The UK has among the worst air quality in Europe and the measures have been brought in to try and address the issue.

A number of other towns and cities in the UK have already introduced similar measures, among them Cambridge and Birmingham.

London ULEZ: Find out if your car is caught out by the pollution charge

Which cars are ensnared by the new rules will depend on the levels of Carbon monoxide (CO), Hydrocarbons (HC), Nitrogen oxides (NOx) and Particulate matter (PM) that they emit.

Transport for London estimates that 140,000 vehicles registered within the zone are non-compliant.

Most Clean Air, Low Emission and Ultra Low Emission Zones will render pre-Euro 4 emissions petrol cars and pre-Euro 6 emission diesel cars non-compliant.

Use the Transport for London ULEZ checker to see which category your car is in:

• Euro 1 – from 31 December 1992
• Euro 2 – from 1 January 1997
• Euro 3 – from 1 January 2001
• Euro 4 – from 1 January 2006 (common minimum standard for petrol cars)
• Euro 5 – from 1 January 2011
• Euro 6 – from 1 September 2015 (common minimum standard for diesel cars

Petrol vehicles have to comply with the Euro 4 standard while Diesel must meet the minimum criteria of Euro 6.

Euro 4 Euro 4 (EC2005)
All new cars registered from 1 January 2006

Seeks to significantly reduce permissible limits for particulates and nitrogen oxides in diesel-powered vehicles. A minority of newer diesel cars have particulate filters that make them compliant, but most diesel vehicles will not be compliant.

Euro 4 emissions limits (petrol) CO: 1.00g/km HC: 0.10g/km NOx: 0.08g/km

Euro 4 emissions limits (diesel) CO: 0.50g/km HC + NOx: 0.30g/km NOx: 0.25g/km PM: 0.025g/km

Euro 6
All new cars registered from 1 September 2015

Aimed at achieving a 67% reduction in permissible levels of nitrogen oxides in diesels and introduced a particle number limit for petrol vehicles.

Euro 6 emissions limits (petrol) CO: 1.00g/km HC: 0.10g/km NOx: 0.06g/km PM: 0.005g/km PM: 6.0×10 ^11/km

Euro 6 emissions limits (diesel) CO: 0.50g/km HC + NOx: 0.17g/km NOx: 0.08g/km PM: 0.005g/km PM: 6.0×10 ^11/km

The emission charge is in addition to the congestion charge of £15 per day for travellers into central London.

London ULEZ pollution charge: mayor says it’s “an issue of social justice”

Sadiq Khan, the Major of London, commenting on the charges said: “With the expanded scheme we will reduce the amount of carbon being emitted by more than 100 tonnes – that’s about 60,000 vehicles being taken off the roads.”

“For me, this is an issue of social justice. Who do we think suffers the worst consequences of toxic air?

“It is the poorest Londoners least likely to own a car. Six out of 10 in the expanded area don’t even own a car.

“The area we are going to be covering, the population of almost four million, is twice the size of Paris, eight times the size of Manchester. Doing nothing is not an option.”

However, critics say that the poor are more likely to own the older vehicles that will be subject to the new charge.

Also some small businesses have complained that while they may generally be in favour of the charge, this is the wrong time to introduce it as companies are still recovering from the economic impact of the pandemic.