Transport for London (TfL) has released new data that shows that vehicle compliance within the expanded ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) has reached 95.2%. This is a strong improvement from 85.1% in May 2022, when the consultation began for the ULEZ expansion, and 90.9% in June 2023.
Car compliance is 96.4%, up from 90% one year ago, however van compliance is less impressive.
Only 86.2% of light commercial vehicles (LCVs) meet the new emissions standard, though this is still an improvement on 77.8% from when the ULEZ expansion was announced.
Due to the high levels of compliance, TfL reports that only 2.9% of vehicles driving in London pay the daily charge. Another 1.7% of vehicles are non-chargeable, through registering for a discount or any form of exemption.
Before the ULEZ expansion, TfL issued almost 4,000 Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) per day for three consecutive months, according to the newly published figures. In June, an average of 3,944 fines were issued daily, with 3,919 in May and 3,971 in April.
The ULEZ expansion went live on August 29, 2023, and non-compliant vehicles face a £12.50 daily charge. To comply with the ULEZ, petrol cars and vans must be Euro 4, while diesel cars and vans must be Euro 6, and motorcycles and mopeds must be Euro 3 compliant.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan emphasized the positive impact of the ULEZ expansion, with 95% of vehicles in compliance. He also encouraged non-compliant vehicle owners to take advantage of the available scrappage scheme support.
To support the transition to cleaner vehicles, the Mayor has provided £160 million in funding for a scrappage and retrofit scheme.
Christina Calderato, TfL’s director of strategy and policy, highlighted the ULEZ’s effectiveness in removing older, more polluting vehicles from the roads, with nearly 80,000 fewer such vehicles in London since June alone. TfL has committed over £121 million from the Mayor’s £160 million scrappage funds to help Londoners and local businesses replace their non-compliant vehicles.
With more Clean Air Zones, or Low Emissions Zones, being established across the UK, it is becoming more important to ensure your vehicle meets modern emissions rules.
Here at Van Ninja, we advise that you check your vehicle’s emissions, and plan ahead of time to upgrade if required, so that you aren’t caught out with fines or CAZ charges in future.
