Mori RubinHammersmith, ENG, United Kingdom
Jun 21, 2019
Dear Petitioner,
Thank you for the petition submitted on the change.org website about the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).
Toxic air pollution is causing a public health crisis. Over two million Londoners live in areas that exceed legal limits for nitrogen dioxide (NO2), of which over 400,000 are children. Toxic air pollution causes thousands of premature deaths in London each year. It is stunting the growth of children’s lungs, is a cause of cancer, and increases the risk of asthma, stroke and dementia. Air pollution is also a social justice issue, with the most deprived Londoners most likely to be exposed to air pollution, and yet least likely to own a car.
The ULEZ is part of a bold package of measures that the Mayor is undertaking to clean up London’s toxic air. While the Mayor is also acting on other sources, road transport is the greatest contributor to air pollution in London. There is no way to make the massive improvements needed to London’s air quality without tackling the most polluting vehicles and so this must be a focus for action.
The Mayor is leading by example with the fleets in his control. For example, since he was elected, three quarters of Transport for London’s (TfL) bus fleet, including all buses operating in the central zone, now meet or exceed the ULEZ emissions standard. The Mayor’s bus retrofit programme means that over 9,000 buses in TfL’s fleet will meet the emissions standard in 2020. But given the scale of the task, everyone must play their part.
ULEZ emissions standards
While all vehicles are responsible for air pollutant emissions, petrol engine vehicles emit significantly lower air pollutants (i.e. nitrogen oxides – NOx – and particulate matter) than diesel-powered ones. Therefore, the ULEZ standards have been set at Euro 6 diesel because this has the equivalent limit for NOx as the Euro 4 petrol standard. The Euro 4 diesel standard is not equivalent to the Euro 4 petrol standard. Further information on Euro standards can be found at: https://www.dieselnet.com/standards/eu/ld.php.
Taxis and the ULEZ
Taxis are not in scope of the ULEZ because they are legally obliged to use a certain type of vehicle that is purpose designed for London’s unique street network and fully accessible to wheelchair users. However, the Mayor is taking action to clean up the taxi fleet with new black cabs required to meet much higher emission standards than cars and vans. From 2018, no new diesel taxis have been licensed and all new taxis need to be zero emission capable. There are currently over 1,500 zero emission capable taxis in the fleet. TfL has recently consulted on a proposal to reduce the age limit from 15 years to 12 years by 2022 for older, more polluting taxis and accelerate the uptake of cleaner vehicles. This would affect most owners of diesel taxis.
ULEZ income
The goal of the ULEZ it not to generate revenue. Its goal is to improve the health and wellbeing of Londoners by helping to clean up the capital’s air. TfL is spending vastly more on improving air quality – around £800 million – than it expects to receive through net income from the ULEZ. Any income generated from the scheme, after costs are taken into account, will be invested in improving air quality across London’s transport network. However, this income is expected to decrease year-on-year as more vehicles meet the standards.
Assessment of environmental impact
Thorough and comprehensive assessment of the impacts of the ULEZ was conducted based on highways, transport and air quality emission models. This was backed by surveys of Londoners to understand how people would choose to respond. A full Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA) on the health, environmental and economic impacts of the ULEZ was also carried out by an independent consultancy. All this information was publicly available during the public consultations on the ULEZ and thoroughly informed the Mayor’s decision. You can see these assessments at: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/ultra-low-emission-zone#on-this-page-1.
Vehicle replacement and scrappage
We do not want people to have to pay the ULEZ charge, but rather walk, cycle, take public transport or use cleaner vehicles. The Mayor recognises that some motorists will need help switching to greener transport options. To help ensure public transport is an affordable option, the Mayor introduced the Hopper fare on buses and implemented the TfL fare freeze. Where Londoners do need to use their vehicles, we want these to meet the ULEZ standards. However, the ULEZ does not require the purchase of an expensive new vehicle. Euro 4 compliant petrol cars have been widely available to purchase since 2006, with some available as early as 2000, meaning there are second-hand vehicles available.
The Mayor has also announced £48 million funding to create vehicle scrappage schemes that aim to help micro-business owners, charities and low-income Londoners scrap older, more polluting vehicles in favour of cleaner ones and greener forms of transport to help clean up the city’s toxic air. Details of the scheme for low-income Londoners will be available soon; you can find out more about the scheme for micro-businesses and charities here: https://tfl.go.uk/scrappage-scheme. The Mayor is urging government to match this and go further to deliver a targeted vehicle renewal fund to offer even more drivers a fair deal. He is urging Londoners to write to their local MP to raise this issue with Government. This is a national issue that requires a national solution.
The ULEZ will extend up to inner London in October 2021 and tighter emissions standards will be applied to heavy vehicles in the existing Low Emission Zone (LEZ) from October 2020. These actions, along with the Mayor's other measures to clean up buses and taxis, as well as investments in public transport and walking and cycling, are expected to help cut air pollution to legal levels by 2025. This means the number of London’s schools in illegally polluted areas is expected to drop from over 400 to five in 2020, and zero by 2025. While everyone will benefit from the Mayor’s air quality measures, including the ULEZ, the most deprived Londoners will benefit the most. It is expected that there will be around a 70 per cent reduction in the difference in average NO2 concentrations between the capital’s most and least deprived areas by 2030.
Yours sincerely,
Public Liaison Unit
Greater London Authority
Thank you for the petition submitted on the change.org website about the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).
Toxic air pollution is causing a public health crisis. Over two million Londoners live in areas that exceed legal limits for nitrogen dioxide (NO2), of which over 400,000 are children. Toxic air pollution causes thousands of premature deaths in London each year. It is stunting the growth of children’s lungs, is a cause of cancer, and increases the risk of asthma, stroke and dementia. Air pollution is also a social justice issue, with the most deprived Londoners most likely to be exposed to air pollution, and yet least likely to own a car.
The ULEZ is part of a bold package of measures that the Mayor is undertaking to clean up London’s toxic air. While the Mayor is also acting on other sources, road transport is the greatest contributor to air pollution in London. There is no way to make the massive improvements needed to London’s air quality without tackling the most polluting vehicles and so this must be a focus for action.
The Mayor is leading by example with the fleets in his control. For example, since he was elected, three quarters of Transport for London’s (TfL) bus fleet, including all buses operating in the central zone, now meet or exceed the ULEZ emissions standard. The Mayor’s bus retrofit programme means that over 9,000 buses in TfL’s fleet will meet the emissions standard in 2020. But given the scale of the task, everyone must play their part.
ULEZ emissions standards
While all vehicles are responsible for air pollutant emissions, petrol engine vehicles emit significantly lower air pollutants (i.e. nitrogen oxides – NOx – and particulate matter) than diesel-powered ones. Therefore, the ULEZ standards have been set at Euro 6 diesel because this has the equivalent limit for NOx as the Euro 4 petrol standard. The Euro 4 diesel standard is not equivalent to the Euro 4 petrol standard. Further information on Euro standards can be found at: https://www.dieselnet.com/standards/eu/ld.php.
Taxis and the ULEZ
Taxis are not in scope of the ULEZ because they are legally obliged to use a certain type of vehicle that is purpose designed for London’s unique street network and fully accessible to wheelchair users. However, the Mayor is taking action to clean up the taxi fleet with new black cabs required to meet much higher emission standards than cars and vans. From 2018, no new diesel taxis have been licensed and all new taxis need to be zero emission capable. There are currently over 1,500 zero emission capable taxis in the fleet. TfL has recently consulted on a proposal to reduce the age limit from 15 years to 12 years by 2022 for older, more polluting taxis and accelerate the uptake of cleaner vehicles. This would affect most owners of diesel taxis.
ULEZ income
The goal of the ULEZ it not to generate revenue. Its goal is to improve the health and wellbeing of Londoners by helping to clean up the capital’s air. TfL is spending vastly more on improving air quality – around £800 million – than it expects to receive through net income from the ULEZ. Any income generated from the scheme, after costs are taken into account, will be invested in improving air quality across London’s transport network. However, this income is expected to decrease year-on-year as more vehicles meet the standards.
Assessment of environmental impact
Thorough and comprehensive assessment of the impacts of the ULEZ was conducted based on highways, transport and air quality emission models. This was backed by surveys of Londoners to understand how people would choose to respond. A full Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA) on the health, environmental and economic impacts of the ULEZ was also carried out by an independent consultancy. All this information was publicly available during the public consultations on the ULEZ and thoroughly informed the Mayor’s decision. You can see these assessments at: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/ultra-low-emission-zone#on-this-page-1.
Vehicle replacement and scrappage
We do not want people to have to pay the ULEZ charge, but rather walk, cycle, take public transport or use cleaner vehicles. The Mayor recognises that some motorists will need help switching to greener transport options. To help ensure public transport is an affordable option, the Mayor introduced the Hopper fare on buses and implemented the TfL fare freeze. Where Londoners do need to use their vehicles, we want these to meet the ULEZ standards. However, the ULEZ does not require the purchase of an expensive new vehicle. Euro 4 compliant petrol cars have been widely available to purchase since 2006, with some available as early as 2000, meaning there are second-hand vehicles available.
The Mayor has also announced £48 million funding to create vehicle scrappage schemes that aim to help micro-business owners, charities and low-income Londoners scrap older, more polluting vehicles in favour of cleaner ones and greener forms of transport to help clean up the city’s toxic air. Details of the scheme for low-income Londoners will be available soon; you can find out more about the scheme for micro-businesses and charities here: https://tfl.go.uk/scrappage-scheme. The Mayor is urging government to match this and go further to deliver a targeted vehicle renewal fund to offer even more drivers a fair deal. He is urging Londoners to write to their local MP to raise this issue with Government. This is a national issue that requires a national solution.
The ULEZ will extend up to inner London in October 2021 and tighter emissions standards will be applied to heavy vehicles in the existing Low Emission Zone (LEZ) from October 2020. These actions, along with the Mayor's other measures to clean up buses and taxis, as well as investments in public transport and walking and cycling, are expected to help cut air pollution to legal levels by 2025. This means the number of London’s schools in illegally polluted areas is expected to drop from over 400 to five in 2020, and zero by 2025. While everyone will benefit from the Mayor’s air quality measures, including the ULEZ, the most deprived Londoners will benefit the most. It is expected that there will be around a 70 per cent reduction in the difference in average NO2 concentrations between the capital’s most and least deprived areas by 2030.
Yours sincerely,
Public Liaison Unit
Greater London Authority
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