8 April 2019
3 Mins read

London’s ULEZ comes into force

London’s ULEZ comes into force

An Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) has come into force in London as part of the government's bid to curb harmful pollution in the city.

As of today (April 8th 2019), drivers of older, more polluting vehicles – such as petrol cars older than 13 years and diesels older than four years – will have to pay a charge of £12.50 to enter central London.

This is on top of the existing congestion charge – and unlike this levy, which only applies between 7am and 6pm on weekdays, the ULEZ charge is in force 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

It is thought that around 40,000 vehicles will be affected every day and anyone who fails to pay the charge will face a fine of £100.

Transport for London said it hopes the move will cut down on the number of polluting cars in the capital, with London mayor Sadiq Khan adding that it is "important we make progress" in tackling toxic air.

According to a recent Unicef report, 4.5 million children in Britain are growing up in towns and cities with unsafe levels of particulate pollution.

However, the Federation of Small Businesses has warned many small firms are "very worried about the future" of their companies because of the additional cost burden the ULEZ charge will place upon them.