Boris sees sense

[JOHNBLACKWATSON]

Dear Stakeholder



Thank you for taking the time to respond to our recent consultation. I can confirm that today the Mayor confirmed the introduction of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), which will launch in central London in 2020. This new scheme will significantly improve air quality across the Capital and so improve the health of Londoners.



After considering the feedback from the consultation, the Mayor confirmed the ULEZ will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the same area as the current Congestion Charging zone (CCZ) from 7 September 2020. All cars, motorcycles, vans, minibuses and heavy vehicles will need to meet emission standards (ULEZ standards) or pay an additional daily charge to travel within the zone. In addition, I can confirm that we are committed to ensuring all double deck buses operating in central London will be hybrid and all single deck will be zero emission (eg. electric) by this time.



Further to the funds announced today, the Mayor has asked us to undertake additional engagement with the taxi and private hire trade and other stakeholders before finalising our plans to change the licensing requirements for these vehicles this summer. TfL will report back to the Mayor later this year.



In response to the consultation, we have included some changes to the original proposals. Vehicles which are registered as ‘disabled’ or ‘disabled passenger vehicle’ tax class (‘disabled exemption’) will be granted a three year sunset period with a 100% discount, up until 6 September 2023[1]. In addition, for the purposes of the ULEZ standards, we have aligned our definition of an historic vehicle with the Government’s so that all vehicles with a ‘historic’ vehicle tax class will be exempt.

[Richie]

So 40 year old cars exempt then? But my mk1 golf, at 26, would cost ££...

[Keith]

Do you take your Golf to London often, Richie?

[Richie]

Never... But there must be loads of cars nearby that will be excluded... May soon be some bargains to be had at owners need to sell em but...London today, Cardiff tomorrow... And I go there lots...

[Martin R]

The bottom line is, those older Golfs and such cars will not be excluded; so long as the owners can afford to pay for the additional charge.

What it basically means is, as usual, the rich can and will still use their gas guzzling 4WD's in London but the more economical cars owned by the plebs, will effectively be driven off the streets.

[Richie]

And to hell with the much greater environmental damage of producing a new car when compared to continuing to use an older one...

[Steve Payne]

The other part I have noticed Motorcycles are also going to get clobbered with this new charge, at the moment Motor cycles are exempt from the congestion charge . That will be interesting to impose as Motorcycles don't get an emission test and it is not on the V5 how much CO2 they produce so how will they implement that one?

Steve

[tdskip]

For those of us on the wrong side of the Atlantic, historic = 40 years old on a rolling basis?

[Chafford1]

For those of us on the wrong side of the Atlantic, historic = 40 years old on a rolling basis?

Correct.