Proposed Ultra Low Emission Zone

Our Environment Committee has written to the Mayor to urge him to look at bringing in a Ultra Low Emission Zone for central London sooner than 2020 and not to restrict plans to new vehicles only.

In February this year the Mayor said he wanted to make almost all vehicles driving in central London during working hours zero or low emission by 2020 and asked Transport for London (TfL) to prepare plans for a new Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ). However, the Mayor’s Environment advisor Matthew Pencharz and the Mayor have since suggested it might only apply to new vehicles.

The Committee says 2020 is a late date to bring in measures to tackle air pollution given that there are more than 4,000 premature deaths each year in the capital due to air pollution and suggests earlier implementation should be considered. It says it supports the idea of a more stringent low emission zone and it understands TfL will consult later this year on a range of options. The letter also urges the Mayor not to rule out including all vehicles from the consultation and sets out the importance of setting the standard high enough to bring significant benefits and calls for modelling of the likely effects and options.

In November 2013, the Environment Committee wrote again to the Mayor, asking him to make a clear statement resolving his final position on the form or forms of ULEZ that TfL is to consult on. See the letter, below.