Six days before the start of COP26 in Glasgow, the mayor of London increased the perimeter of the Ulez zone on Monday, October 25, intended to reduce pollution from the most dangerous cars at this level for the planet.
Set up in 2019 in the center of the English capital, the Ulez zone (“ultra low emission zone”, which translates to “very low emission zone”) has been extended since Monday to cover an area 18 times larger. The mayor of the British city, Sadiq Khan, estimates that this extension concerns around 4 million inhabitants.
The objective is clear: to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 100,000 tonnes from the first year of implementation according to estimates, which represents the equivalent of 60,000 fewer cars in London. An interesting announcement from an ecological point of view since this capital is among the 10 most polluted cities in Europe according to the British firm Utility Bidder.
No tax on December 25
The measure applies every day of the year, with the exception of December 25, at any time of the day and night. In case of non-compliance, a fine of 160 pounds, or nearly 190 euros, is provided. An amount which will be reduced by half in the event of payment within two weeks after receipt of the ticket.
In fact, gasoline vehicles manufactured before 2006 (Euro 4 standard) and diesel vehicles built before 2015 (Euro 6 standard) will have to pay 14.80 euros daily to travel within the zone. For trucks and buses, the tax is 116 euros per day, while taxis are exempt.
According to the municipality, 4,000 Londoners died prematurely in 2019 due to air pollution.