London Mayor to Expand Ultra-Low Emissions Zone to Whole City

(Bloomberg) -- London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced a major expansion to the capital city’s ultra-low emissions zone that will charge drivers of the most polluting vehicles.

The new zone will be 18 times larger than the original one, stretching from the North and South circular roads in suburban London, according to an emailed statement from the mayor’s office. The new rules will come into force in October 2021.

The U.K. has been violating the European Union’s standards on air quality since 2010, with London breaking the annual limit in the first month of the year. The biggest source of pollution is nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel vehicles, which have proved to harm human health.

“Tackling London’s lethal air and safeguarding the health of Londoners requires bold action,” Khan said. “Air pollution is a national health crisis and I refuse to stand back as thousands of Londoners breathe in air so filthy that it shortens our life expectancy, harms our lungs and worsens chronic illness.”

The city’s first ultra-low emissions zone will be implemented on April 8 next year and covers central London. It will charge drivers of non-compliant vehicles 12.50 pounds ($16.76) per day. Kahn’s office said this will be extended to include buses, coaches and trucks by 2020.

“We estimate that expanding the ULEZ will reduce road transport emissions by a further 28 percent across London, so this expansion is a huge step toward protecting the health of all Londoners,” said Lilli Matson, Transport for London’s director of strategy.

To contact the reporter on this story: Anna Hirtenstein in London at ahirtenstein@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Reed Landberg at landberg@bloomberg.net, Lars Paulsson, Rob Verdonck

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