The Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL) are giving public the opportunity to give their opinions on the proposed UltraLow Emission Zone (ULEZ).
The consultation, which is accessible online until 9 January 2015, will be analysed by TfL, before Mayor Boris Johnson can give his final recommendations.
By spring 2015, Johnson will decide whether to confirm the go-ahead, giving fleet operators more than five years’ notice, before implementation of the 24 hours a day, seven days a week scheme on 7 September 2020.
Johnson said, “Introducing the world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone is an essential measure to improve London’s air quality and reduce NO2. I understand that people need adequate time to switch to greener vehicles and help is at hand for those who will be hardest hit, but let’s be clear, we need to make these important changes as soon as possible to continue to improve Londoner’s quality of life and give everyone who lives in or visits the city the cleanest possible air to breathe.”
The current proposal will see fleet managers faced with two options, either ensure their vehicles meet the emission restrictions for ULEZ or pay a daily charge.
Small and large vans and minibus drivers will need to ensure their vehicles have Euro-6 diesel or Euro-4 petrol engines, however, non-compliant vehicles would still be able to travel within the zone but pay a daily charge of £12.50.
HGVs, buses and coaches will all need to be Euro-6 vehicles to be able to travel in the zone free of charge, otherwise fleet managers will be faced with paying £100 a day for each vehicle.
Also affected by this proposal will be TfL’s buses and taxis. TfL’s aim is for all its double-deck buses operating in London to be hybrids and single-deck buses needing zero emissions vehicles by 2020.
From 2018, all taxis and private hire vehicles will only be licensed if they are capable of zero emissions.
Michèle Dix, Managing Director of Planning at TfL, said, “We are doing everything in our power to address emissions from road transport, with the introduction of an Ultra Low Emission Zone at the core of our work to improve the capital’s air. We would urge everyone who lives, works or travels in London to give us their views on the ULEZ proposal.”
