London is the first city in the world that wants to clean up its diesel smog and they have just implemented a new law, starting midnight 8th of April 2019, Monday.
With 40% of London’s air pollution coming from diesel vehicles, air quality in inner London has fallen to low health levels in recent years and thousands of Londoners are dying and falling ill each year due to this toxic air quality. Research shows nearly 9,500 deaths each year in London.
The start of the solution is this. Introducing a T-Charge where older more polluting diesel vehicles will be charged extra to enter central London. Pre-Euro 6 diesel vehicles and others, up to and including 3.5 tonnes, will be required to pay £12.50 per day (24/7), on top of the £11.50 congestion charge (7am to 6pm Monday to Friday), to enter the Central London Congestion Charging Zone from Monday 8 April 2019. Lorries (over 3.5 tonnes) and buses/coaches (over 5 tonnes) will have to pay £100.
The ULEZ replaces the T-Charge which has used a Euro 4 standard for diesel and petrol cars. It is in addition to the Low Emission Zone charge or ban (24/7).
The ULEZ targets diesel vehicles which are responsible for some 95% of emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) from road transport exhaust in Central London. NOx emissions are the main source of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a toxic gas, which is subject to World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines to protect public health.
London is pushing for ALL taxis to be electric and there have been no more diesel taxi licenses issued since 2018.
London has stopped buying diesel buses since 2018.
The City of London has measured vehicles coming into the city and they have found that 60% of journeys are for shopping, leisure or personal business which could have been done using public transport.
Here below are the charges for driving in London starting today, April 8th 2019.
Cars and small vans
Cars, and small vans (not exceeding 1,205kg unladen weight).
| Congestion Charge | Ultra Low Emission Zone | |
| Area | Congestion Charge zone (central London) | Congestion Charge zone (central London) |
| Time | Mon-Fri, 07:00-18:00 | At all times |
| Daily charges | £11.50 (£10.50 Auto Pay) | £12.50 if Euro 4 petrol or Euro 6 diesel standards not met |
Motorcycles
| Ultra Low Emission Zone | |
| Area | Congestion Charge zone (central London) |
| Time | At all times |
| Daily charge | £12.50 if Euro 3 standard not met |
Motor tricycles and quadricycles
| Congestion Charge | Ultra Low Emission Zone | |
| Area | Congestion Charge zone (central London) | Congestion Charge zone (central London) |
| Time | Mon-Fri, 07:00-18:00 | At all times |
| Daily charges | £11.50 (£10.50 Auto Pay) | £12.50 if Euro 3 standard not met |
Larger vans, minibuses & specialist vehicles
Vans (exceeding 1,205kg unladen and not exceeding 3,500kg GVW) and Minibuses (passenger vehicles with more than eight seats, plus the driver’s seat, not exceeding 5,000kg GVW).
| Congestion Charge | Ultra Low Emission Zone | Low Emission Zone | |
| Area | Congestion Charge zone (central London) | Congestion Charge zone (central London) | Low Emission Zone (most of Greater London) |
| Time | Mon-Fri, 07:00-18:00 | At all times | At all times |
| Daily charges | £11.50 (£10.50 Auto Pay) if not registered for 100% discount for vehicles with 9+ seats | £12.50 if Euro 4 petrol or Euro 6 diesel standard not met | £100 if Euro 3 diesel standard not met |
Buses & coaches
Applies to passenger vehicles with more than eight seats, plus the driver’s seat, exceeding 5,000 kg GVW.
| Congestion Charge | Ultra Low Emission Zone | Low Emission Zone | |
| Area | Congestion Charge zone (central London) | Congestion Charge zone (central London) | Low Emission Zone (most of Greater London) |
| Time | Mon-Fri, 07:00-18:00 | At all times | At all times |
| Daily charges | £11.50 (£10.50 Auto Pay) if not exempt via tax class bus, reduced pollution bus, or registered for 100% discount for vehicles with 9+ seats | £100 if Euro VI standard not met | £200 if Euro IV diesel standard not met |
Heavy goods vehicles & specialist heavy vehicles
Applies to HGVs and specialist heavy vehicles over 3,500kg gross vehicle GVW, such as: lorries, motorised horse boxes, breakdown & recovery vehicles, snow ploughs, gritters, refuse collection vehicles, road sweepers, concrete mixers, fire engines, tippers and removals lorries.
| Congestion Charge | Ultra Low Emission Zone | Low Emission Zone | |
| Area | Congestion Charge zone (central London) | Congestion Charge zone (central London) | Low Emission Zone (most of Greater London) |
| Time | Mon-Fri, 07:00-18:00 | At all times | At all times |
| Daily charges | £11.50 (£10.50 Auto Pay) | £100 if Euro VI standard not met | £200 if Euro IV diesel standard not met |
