London-wide clean air zone drives down pollution further

London is experiencing a 10 percentage point increase in vehicle compliance following its expansion of the ultra low emission zone (Ulez) with 95 per cent of vehicles across inner and outer London compliant with clean air standards.

According to a new report, Ulez compliance has risen from 91 per cent in outer London in June, and 85 per cent compliance when the expansion plan was announced in May 2022, to 95 per cent compliance now.

Combat urban air pollution

TfL reports the newly expanded Ulez is one of the world’s most ambitious efforts to combat urban air pollution. Measuring 1,500km2 and covering the whole capital with a population of over nine million people, it claims it is the largest urban anti-pollution zone of its kind on Earth. The highly targeted scheme is designed to take the most polluting vehicles off London’s roads, helping nine million people to breathe cleaner air.

Transport for London (TfL) said that the scheme was proving “highly effective” since it was expanded to cover every borough of the city on 29 August 2023, and has taken almost 80,000 older cars off the roads.

“The Ulez is highly effective in taking the oldest, most polluting vehicles off the roads with nearly 80,000 fewer driving in London since this June alone, and a 56 percentage point increase in vehicles meeting the standards since 2017”

“Following the first month of the Ulez expansion, it’s great to see that 95 per cent of the vehicles driving in the capital comply with the scheme’s transformative air quality standards,” said Christina Calderato, director of strategy and policy at TfL.

“The Ulez is highly effective in taking the oldest, most polluting vehicles off the roads with nearly 80,000 fewer driving in London since this June alone, and a 56 percentage point increase in vehicles meeting the standards since 2017.”