In a statement last week, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, announced that London’s current Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will be expanding to include the whole city from August 2023. At present, the zone only includes areas within London’s North and South Circular roads and covers cars, lorries, motorbikes, light commercial vehicles and HGVs. 

The move is being made in a bid to improve London’s air quality, which is known to be impacting the health of Londoners every day. Health issues relating to air pollution are now primarily happening in outer London areas, so the Capital’s ULEZ is being expanded to eliminate the problem for those in the suburbs. 

What Does The Change Mean For Motorists?

Speaking about the change, Sadiq Khan expressed that the decision to approve the expansion was a difficult one, but it’s one he ultimately had to make. He stated, “Expanding the ULEZ London-wide has not been an easy decision. The simplest thing for me would have been to kick the can down the road, but in the end, public health comes before political expediency.

Londoners are getting sick from cradle to the grave with illnesses such as cancer, lung disease, dementia and asthma. Furthermore, the money raised by ULEZ will be pumped back into funding local public transport and I’m pleased to announce today that we are planning the biggest-ever expansion of the bus network in outer London.”

What it means for motorists is that those who don’t drive a vehicle that meets the standards set in the ULEZ could face a daily charge of £12.50. This applies to all residents living within the ULEZ, but only if they drive, as it’s not something that’s incurred if a vehicle is simply parked and never used. 

Scrappage Scheme Offered to Londoners 

A measure to mitigate the impact of the change comes in the form of the government’s Scrappage Scheme, which kicks in on the 30th of January 2023. Londoners who receive certain means-tested and disability benefits can apply to the scheme and receive a grant payment and/or annual tram & bus passes. 

A separate van and minibus scrappage scheme will also be put into place and made available for micro-businesses (Less than 10 employees), sole traders and charities. Further changes include the removal of the £10 annual fee for Autopay registering and an increase in the penalty for not paying the daily ULEZ charge, from £160 to £180 (When paid within 14 days).

Working Towards a Greener UK Haulage Industry 

The health of people in London is clearly of great importance and this move will undoubtedly help in this regard. For UK hauliers, however, it represents another increased expense at a time when margins are already wafer thin. Small mercy then that the change won’t come into force until August of next year when the industry will hopefully be in a stronger position.

Regardless, HGVC will continue to support the sector by providing industry-leading, scalable HGV licence acquisition programs via our huge network of training centres. To find out more about what we do and how we do it, please take a moment to browse our website. Alternatively, to speak to us, click ‘contact us’ or call 0333 818 8888 and we’ll be more than happy to help.