EIR - ULEZ expansion [Feb 2023]

1. You claimed that the majority of “POOR” people had no cars, please state the names and addresses of these people. Also, how many houses were cold called upon in your survey. If you are unable to give names and addresses, then location and number of houses called upon and how many had cars and how many did not.
2. Why is the allowance set for people to exchange their cars limited to people who claim benefits?
3. Why is the limit set to £2000 when the cost of buying a second hand car is nearly 60% higher than before 2022?
4. Why is the scrappage allowance not given to working people who earn over the threshold or do not claim any benefits?
5. You stated that in order to bring in the ULEZ expansion, you would listen to the views of Londoners. What was the result of this survey? Is the figure of 65% against expansion a correct figure?
6. In relation to the official survey, how many other surveys did you authorise to conduct? How were they communicated to the people of the boroughs?
7. How many families in London have no cars, have you got details?
8. If people cannot afford to buy newer cars, what provisions have you made to help these people?
9. Will you offer a fair swap scheme for like for like car? If people cannot afford to change cars would this not be a fairer way for Londoners to change cars and be compliant.
10. If some councils do not let you install camera’s in their area, how will this impact on the councils who allow you to install camera’s?
11. The difference between euro 5 and euro 6 cars is very minimal, why is euro 5 not included in ulez when it is allowed in other European cities like Ghent in Belgium.

Response

Please find below the information we hold within the scope of your request.

1. You claimed that the majority of “POOR” people had no cars, please state the names and addresses of these people. Also, how many houses were cold called upon in your survey. If you are unable to give names and addresses, then location and number of houses called upon and how many had cars and how many did not.

Analysis from Transport for London’s (TfL) London Travel Demand Survey shows that income is a strong predictor of car ownership in inner and outer London, with car ownership generally increasing as household income increases. The Travel in London Report 12 contains a full section on car ownership in London. You can read the report here: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/travel-in-london-report-12.pdf  

2. Why is the allowance set for people to exchange their cars limited to people who claim benefits?

3. Why is the limit set to £2000 when the cost of buying a second hand car is nearly 60% higher than before 2022?

4. Why is the scrappage allowance not given to working people who earn over the threshold or do not claim any benefits?

The Mayor is providing £110m in funding to help Londoners in receipt of certain low-income and disability benefits, sole traders, businesses with up to 10 employees and charities. Eligibility for the scrappage scheme has been set to ensure help is targeted at those who need it most. The grants have been sent at levels to ensure the scrappage scheme can help as many people and organisations as possible while still covering a large share of the cost of a replacement vehicle.

The Mayor is using limited funding to provide a scheme that should be funded at a national level. The Mayor will continue to call on Government to further support the switch to cleaner vehicles through funding a targeted national scrappage scheme or providing additional funding to London as it has done for other cities implementing Clean Air Zones.

5. You stated that in order to bring in the ULEZ expansion, you would listen to the views of Londoners. What was the result of this survey? Is the figure of 65% against expansion a correct figure?

6. In relation to the official survey, how many other surveys did you authorise to conduct? How were they communicated to the people of the boroughs?

Following a public consultation that ran from 20 May to 29 July 2022, the Mayor has decided to expand the ULEZ London-wide in August 2023. You can read his decision, including the rationale and supporting documents on the GLA website: https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/governance-and-spending/promoting-good-governance/decision-making/mayoral-decisions/md3060-london-wide-ultra-low-emission-zone-ulez-scheme.  

The full consultation report (which includes an analysis of the responses received and themes raised), the independent Integrated Impact Assessment (which assessed potential health, environment, equality, and economic impacts of the scheme consultation proposals on different groups), and other supporting documents are published as appendices to the decision at the link above.

The Mayor’s response to the consultation has been raised at Mayor’s Question Time. His response is available here: Ignoring Consultations | London City Hall

There are several further questions relating to this subject matter, with answers published on the GLA website: Questions to the Mayor | London City Hall (Search, keyword ULEZ and filter by date – 1 Dec to today).

7. How many families in London have no cars, have you got details?

TfL’s London Travel Demand Survey 2019/2020 shows that nearly half of all households in London do not own a car (45 per cent). The data set is available here: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/how-we-work/planning-for-the-future/consultations-and-surveys.  

8. If people cannot afford to buy newer cars, what provisions have you made to help these people?

Already, around 85 per cent of vehicles seen driving in outer London meet the ULEZ standards, meaning their drivers will not need to pay the charge.

To help Londoners who are not eligible for the scrappage scheme, TfL has secured discounts and promotions on e-bikes, cargo bikes and car clubs to help individuals and organisations switch to cleaner forms of transport and avoid paying the ULEZ charge. You can read about the offers available here: https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/ulez-support-offers.  

The Mayor has also announced plans for improving the bus network in outer London. New services and improvements, that will see over one million further kilometres added to the bus network, are planned, subject to consultation, to support growth areas in a number of outer London locations.

9. Will you offer a fair swap scheme for like for like car? If people cannot afford to change cars would this not be a fairer way for Londoners to change cars and be compliant.

As mentioned above, the Mayor is providing £110m in funding for a scrappage scheme. There are no plans to offer a swap scheme for cars on top of the existing scrappage scheme.

The Mayor will continue to work with other Mayors and local authorities across the country to make the case to Government for a targeted national scrappage scheme, and for funding to be made available to Londoners as has been for other cities across the UK as they implement and bring forward proposals for their own Clean Air Zones.

10. If some councils do not let you install camera’s in their area, how will this impact on the councils who allow you to install camera’s?

TfL is working closely with the London boroughs to make sure all cameras and signage for the expansion of the ULEZ are installed in operationally appropriate places. They are working to agree all the sites with the relevant councils.

Legislation does give TfL the power to install cameras and signage needed for the expanded ULEZ but this is regarded as a power of last resort.

11. The difference between euro 5 and euro 6 cars is very minimal, why is euro 5 not included in ulez when it is allowed in other European cities like Ghent in Belgium.

The aim of the ULEZ is to reduce emissions of the pollutants which are most damaging to human health from the transport sector in London, specifically nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM).

The standards chosen as the basis for compliance with the ULEZ reflect the points at which new Euro standards resulted in a very large drop in permitted emissions compared to previous standards. For example, Euro 5 diesel cars were permitted to emit 125 per cent more NOx than Euro 6 diesel cars and Euro 3 petrol cars were permitted to emit 90 per cent more NOx than Euro 4 cars. The emission standards regulating NOx and PM for diesel engines have generally lagged behind those for petrol engines, which is why the ULEZ standard for diesel vehicles is set at the newer Euro 6 standard as opposed to Euro 4 for petrol vehicles.