Tens of thousands of drivers face £12.50 charge next week as low-emission rules kick in – check if you’re affected
STRICT emissions rules affecting around 100,000 motorists come into effect this month - and forgetting them could be expensive.
A new £12.50 fee to drive through certain parts of London just made the commute and the school run a lot pricier for families and workers near the capital.
The Ultra Low Emission Zone, which used to cover just a tiny patch in the middle of the city, has expanded to include most of what people refer to as London.
Every street within the North and South Circular is now subject to this £12.50 daily charge.
And if your commute or school run crosses this boundary, and your car is too old to be exempt from the charge, you’ll be racking up huge costs every month.
Who is exempt from expanded ULEZ charge?
Thankfully, many motorists will be exempt from the ULEZ charge, which is designed to affect only the most polluting cars.
If you have a diesel car from the past five years or a petrol car from the past ten, you’ll probably be fine driving into the zone.
But you , typing in your number plate to ensure you don’t get a nasty surprise in the post.
The new ULEZ expansion is one of the biggest changes affecting London motorists since the implementation of the Congestion Charge - which only covers a small patch in the very centre of town.
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By contrast, the expanded ULEZ contains millions of people, and the border - which will be controlled using a vast network of cameras - is driven over by around 100,000 people each day.
Schemes such as the London ULEZ are likely to be implemented elsewhere as the UK tries to reduce its carbon emissions by 2050.
What should I do if my car is too old for ULEZ?
Drivers of older, more polluting cars should avoid driving them into the ULEZ.
TfL hopes that the charge - in addition to raising vast amounts of much-needed money - will incentivise people to take public transport, walk or cycle to where they need to be.
If none of these solutions apply to you, TfL has recommended people upgrade their ageing cars and mopeds, or join car clubs that have fleets of zero-emission vehicles.
Given that petrol cars first registered after 2005 are almost all exempt from the ULEZ charge, it's not too onerous for many households to replace their cars.
Prices for inexpensive used cars of this era start in the hundreds.
But some critics have highlighted that this ULEZ scheme - the first to directly affect the suburbs and dense residential parts of London - could hit poorer people hardest.
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