Biggest polluting vehicles to pay up to 100 pounds to enter central London
Xinhua, April 4, 2017 Adjust font size:
The most polluting vehicles will have to pay a daily charge of up to 100 pounds (125 U.S. dollars) to drive within central London as from April 8, 2019, London mayor Sadiq Khan announced Tuesday.
The mayor has described the move as his bold proposals to help combat the capital city's toxic air crisis.
The mayor has already confirmed a 10-pound pollution fee, known as the T-Charge, which will start this October. He is now proposing that this be replaced by the introduction of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in central London from April 8, 2019. The zone will cover the same area as the existing congestion charging zone.
Khan also announced that in 2020 he plans to expand the ULEZ across Greater London for heavy diesel vehicles, including buses, coaches and lorries, and from a year later up to London's North and South Circular roads for cars and vans.
Under the ULEZ, petrol and diesel vehicles that don't meet European emissions standards (Euro 4 and 6 respectively) will have to pay a daily fee of 12.50 pounds for cars, vans, and motorbikes. Buses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles will have to pay 100 pounds (125 U.S. dollars) to drive in the zone.
Petrol cars more than 13 years old in 2019, and diesel cars more than four years old in 2019, will not meet the new standards, said the mayor's office.
With the existing London congestion charge added to the pollution charge, it will mean motorists with non-compliant cars will have to pay 24 pounds a day to drive into central London.
The mayor's office has estimated that the ULEZ in central London would result in nearly a 50-percent reduction in road transport nitrogen oxide emissions in 2020.
"These timescales would provide Londoners, motorists coming into the capital from elsewhere and businesses which will be affected, sufficient time to take the necessary steps to prepare for these new standards," said a spokesman for Khan.
Khan said: "The air in London is lethal and I will not stand by and do nothing. Today I'm announcing bold proposals which are critically needed to safeguard Londoners from our air quality health crisis."
A public consultation started on Tuesday on the mayor's proposal to bring forward the start date of the central London ULEZ launch. Endit