ULEZ expansion news latest — Sadiq Khan ‘scraps plan to charge fossil fuel cars entering London’ – how to pay fines

ULEZ 'wasting police time', claims former Tory leader

Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the MP for Chingford and Woodford Green and a former Conservative leader has claimed this week's ULEZ expansion is wasting police time.

Following a slew of ULEZ cameras being vandalised, he suggested IT was a “distraction for police” and said: “These cameras would be far better used for detecting crime than detecting number plates in the area of ULEZ.

“I don’t condone criminal activity, but I understand what they’re doing because they’re frustrated and Sadiq Khan won’t listen. Getting rid of it and using the cameras for crime I think would go down well with most Londoners.”

Classic Fords and other iconic cars will be ‘killed off’, owners say

Fuming drivers from across the city have slammed the low emission zone daily £12.50 charges – and refuse to give up their iconic motors.

Harley Davidson owner, Trevor Manlow, from West London, predicts classics such as his Dyna Wide Glide will become “museum artefacts” as Ulez kills off the iconic bikes.

The 53-year-old told : “It makes me angry, kids see these cars and bikes on the street and at shows and smile, they love it. 

“However, the ULEZ expansion is going to kill this as fewer people will be taking them out.

“I’ll still ride my bike, I’ll just refuse to pay the charge and I’ll take it to a garage to make it ULEZ compliant at the first opportunity.”

Are hybrid cars exempt from the ULEZ charge?

Hybrid cars do not follow the same rules as electric cars when it comes to the ULEZ charge.

The majority of hybrids will be exempt from the charge, though drivers of some older models – such as the original Toyota Prius – will have to pay.

Petrol-electric hybrid cars follow the same rules as normal petrol cars and must be Euro 4 compliant, while diesel-electric hybrid cars must be compliant with the Euro 6 standards.

Funeral spokesperson criticises ULEZ camera placed near cemetery

A spokesman for the National Association of Funeral Directors said: “We need to make life easier for bereaved people, not harder.

“This cemetery serves not only a large community within London, but also communities in Essex and Hertfordshire too – all of whom would not only visit the cemetery to attend a funeral but may return regularly to visit the grave of a loved one.

“With the various low emissions zones in operation around the UK all having their own set of rules and exemptions, it’s challenging for any traveller to feel confident they have mastered the rules, let alone someone who has lost a loved one and is therefore likely to be extremely distressed.

"Hopefully, compassion and fairness will prevail.”

Ulez cameras installed 150 yards from cemetery

Mourners were enraged to see a Ulez camera had been installed just 150 yards from a cemetery and crematorium.

Mourner John Tully was on his way to a funeral this week when he spotted the new camera in Upminster, East London.

He said: “I was quite sad really to think that people visit that crematorium on a regular basis to see the graves, to see where their loved ones have ended up.

"Some people visit more than once a week.”

How can you check whether your car is compliant?

You can use the  to verify whether or not you need to pay the charge when driving in your vehicle.

There is also a website, in partnership with the DVLA, dedicated to checking if your vehicle is ULEZ compliant.

RAC hits back at warring councils

RAC spokesperson Simon Williams said opposing the London mayor’s plan might not be the most effective tactic.

He told BBC London: “I think the councils who are contesting or battling the mayor of London probably need to just give in and give drivers a little bit of advance warning.”

He added: “I think people do need a good advance warning of the fact they’re entering the ULEZ zone so it’s time that councils stopped resisting and actually go ahead and put up the signs so everyone approaching the zone from all directions has adequate warning.”

Councils continue their fight against ULEZ

Of the seven councils neighbouring London, six have not signed an agreement with Transport for London (TfL) to set up warning signs.

That means many roads into London will not have notices and drivers could be fined.

Kent along with Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Surrey and Thurrock councils have refused to give permission for the signage.

Only Slough has reached an agreement with TfL.

Bike brand offers deal to avoid Ulez charge

Dutch cycling brand  have slashed the price of one bike to avoid the new £12.50 ULEZ charge.

The brand have discounted their own Power 1 e-bike to £12.50 - saving consumers £52.40 off the normal retail price.

Commuters can sign up for special discounted e-bike offer online for one month and they can collect in-person from their London Spitalfields store.

Locals 'amused' by damaged Ulez cameras

AJ Simpson, from Wimbleton, stumbled across a damaged ultra-low emission zone camera covered with an orange "no Ulez" sign in Harefield in Greater London.

Ms Simpson said: "I was just going down the road and I noticed it was on the floor, but there was a bit too much traffic on that particular road and so I just turned around and came back again and took a photo of it."

She posted the photo to Facebook with the caption: "Someone really didn't want the ULEZ camera in Harefield."

She said she was "amused" by the sight because "normally, people just cut the cameras off completely but this one had been given a mask basically.

"They've covered the top of the head of the camera and they've chopped it down completely and I'm thinking, 'wow, this is something isn't it'".

What support will there be for businesses?

Charities and small businesses with up to 50 employees are being offered payments between £6,000 and £11,500.

Scrappage payments for vans will also increase from £5,000 to £7,000, with small businesses able to dump three vehicles.

Drivers can use the  to verify whether or not they need to pay.

Financial support for Londoners

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced a major wave of financial support for Brits with non-compliant vehicles.

Every driver with a polluting car under ULEZ restrictions is now able to apply for the scrapping scheme.

The incentive was initially offered to a limited number of Londoners to scrap old petrol or diesel vehicles.

But the support has now been extended to all applicants.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: "Every single Londoner with a non-compliant car and motorbike is now eligible to get support.

"We are doing this without a penny of support from the Government who have helped other cities around the country with their clean air zones."

All London residents with non-compliant vehicles can now get £2,000 for scrapping a car and £1,000 for a motorcycle.

They can also apply for "higher-value packages" - which include two bus and tram passes with a lower grant.

Payments for wheelchair accessible cars have also increased to up to £10,000 to completely scrap the vehicle or £6,000 to make it less polluting.

ULEZ expansion sparked protests

Opponents of Mr Khan’s ULEZ expansion staged a protest over the weekend outside his home in south London.

A caravan covered into anti-ULEZ signs was chained near to the Mayor of London’s home in South London.

The striking van warns the Mayor the fee will end up being his “poll tax” – which brought Maggie Thatcher down in the 1990s.

How much has ULEZ raised?

The ULEZ contributed £39m to Transport for London's net income in 2019 when it was first launched.

In the following years the scheme raised:

• 2020: £91m
• 2021: £38m
• 2022: £111m

Are hybrid cars exempt from the ULEZ charge?

Hybrid cars do not follow the same rules as electric cars when it comes to the ULEZ charge.

The majority of hybrids will be exempt from the charge, though drivers of some older models – such as the original Toyota Prius – will have to pay.

Petrol-electric hybrid cars follow the same rules as normal petrol cars and must be Euro 4 compliant, while diesel-electric hybrid cars must be compliant with the Euro 6 standards.

How can you check whether your car is compliant?

You can use the  to verify whether or not you need to pay the charge when driving in your vehicle.

There is also a website, in partnership with the DVLA, dedicated to checking if your vehicle is ULEZ compliant.

Transport Secretary slams Mayor of London

Transport Secretary Mark Harper has slammed the London mayor for expanding the ULEZ and claimed the government are against the expansion.

Speaking to Sky News, Mr Harper said the ULEZ expansion is a “decision for the mayor of London, backed by the Labour leader”.

Mark Harper claimed the development of the ULEZ is not about air quality in the capital, instead it is about “raising money” by charging more Londoners.

Speaking to Sky News he said: “It’s a scheme to charge hard-pressed motorists more money for making essential journeys and it will have almost no appreciable impact on air quality.”

‘The death of the modern classic car’

One frustrated motorist, Paul Robins, from Kent, had to go through a “ridiculous fight” with TfL to keep his vehicles on the road.

He branded the new charges “the death of the modern classic car”.

frustrated motorist, Paul Robins, from Kent, had to go through a “ridiculous fight” with TfL to keep his vehicles on the road.

He branded the new charges “the death of the modern classic car”.

Councils continue their fight against ULEZ

Of the seven councils neighbouring London, six have not signed an agreement with Transport for London (TfL) to set up warning signs.

That means many roads into London will not have notices and drivers could be fined.

Kent along with Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Surrey and Thurrock councils have refused to give permission for the signage.

Only Slough has reached an agreement with TfL.

ULEZ extension cost

Drivers will be slapped with an eye-watering daily charge if their vehicle doesn’t satisfy emissions standards.

Older vehicles, including motorbikes, that don’t meet the tighter emissions standards will be hit with a £12.50 charge each day they are used in the ULEZ.

Mr Khan said: “Challenges of pollution, climate emergency and congestion mean we need to further reduce emissions from vehicles in London.”

Transport for London’s  allows drivers to see if their car satisfies the ULEZ emissions standards threshold.

Chiefs of boroughs in Kent, Surrey and Herts are refusing to put up ULEZ signposts in opposition to Mr Khan’s expansion plans.

Classic Fords and other iconic cars will be ‘killed off’, owners say

Fuming drivers from across the city have slammed the low emission zone daily £12.50 charges – and refuse to give up their iconic motors.

Harley Davidson owner, Trevor Manlow, from West London, predicts classics such as his Dyna Wide Glide will become “museum artefacts” as Ulez kills off the iconic bikes.

The 53-year-old told : “It makes me angry, kids see these cars and bikes on the street and at shows and smile, they love it. 

“However, the ULEZ expansion is going to kill this as fewer people will be taking them out.

“I’ll still ride my bike, I’ll just refuse to pay the charge and I’ll take it to a garage to make it ULEZ compliant at the first opportunity.”

What other exceptions to ULEZ are there?

London-licenced taxis up to 15 years old are exempt from the ULEZ charge.

Minicabs with wheelchair access have a grace period until October 26, 2025, provided they are being used to carry out a private hire booking.

Some specialist farm vehicles, including tractors, mobile cranes, tanks, and diggers may also be exempt, as are some showman’s vehicles. 

Minibus drivers for a charity or school – excluding private schools – can register for a limited grace period until October 29, 2023.

‘The death of the modern classic car’

One frustrated motorist, Paul Robins, from Kent, had to go through a “ridiculous fight” with TfL to keep his vehicles on the road.

He branded the new charges “the death of the modern classic car”.

frustrated motorist, Paul Robins, from Kent, had to go through a “ridiculous fight” with TfL to keep his vehicles on the road.

He branded the new charges “the death of the modern classic car”.

Are hybrid cars exempt from the ULEZ charge?

Hybrid cars do not follow the same rules as electric cars when it comes to the ULEZ charge.

The majority of hybrids will be exempt from the charge, though drivers of some older models – such as the original Toyota Prius – will have to pay.

Petrol-electric hybrid cars follow the same rules as normal petrol cars and must be Euro 4 compliant, while diesel-electric hybrid cars must be compliant with the Euro 6 standards.