A judge has ruled London Mayor Sadiq Khan's plan to extend the Ultra Low Emission Zone to the whole of London is lawful
The scheme aims to cut air pollution by charging drivers of the most-polluting vehicles £12.50 a day
Ulez currently covers an area between the North and South Circular roads - but will now be extended across the entire capital next month
The scheme was developed by Boris Johnson, when he was mayor, and was implemented by Khan
But five Conservative councils argued that Khan acted beyond his powers to extend the scheme
Khan says the "landmark decision" is "good news as it means we can proceed with cleaning up the air in outer London"
Khan's plan was blamed for Labour failing to win Johnson's former Uxbridge seat in last week's by-election
If you're short on time but want to know how Ulez works then congratulations - you've come to precisely the right place.
Our reporter Simon Jones is in Kew, at the boundary of the existing zone, and he explains what the expansion will mean for Londoners:
London Mayor Sadiq Khan hopes to expand the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) to an area about three times the size of the current zone.
At the moment, it runs between the North and South Circular roads - but the plan is to extend it to all of Greater London next month.
Take a look at the map below to see where the daily £12.50 charge for the most polluting vehicles applies - and how it will expand:
Image source, .The mayor's office says Ulez is needed to tackle air pollution, which is a problem in the capital, as well as congestion and concerns over climate change.
It's not just London that has a clean air zone - some other UK cities have followed suit, external.
Andrea says she understands why Sadiq Khan wants to introduce the policy, but disagrees with the timing
Andrea Chambers, a childminder who lives in Surbiton, will have to pay the Ulez charge if it is expanded to the outer boroughs - she says it'll affect both her business and her personal life.
“I take my children out on visits to farms, soft plays and everything, and I'm going to have to pay £12.50 to do it. I've got to foot the bill or I don't go out anywhere with them,” she says.
The 54-year-old also has to regularly drive out to Chessington to care for her parents to "take them to hospital appointments and things like that – and that's going to cost £12.50 for me to do that".
Andrea says she’s looked at the scrappage scheme but “for what I'd get, I wouldn't be able to buy a decent enough car or big enough car for my business”.
She adds that she understands why the mayor wants to introduce the policy “but it’s the timing”.
“We're just getting over Covid and cost-of-living crisis and people haven't got spare money to buy cars,” she says.
The latest expansion of Ulez has proved pretty divisive.
Those pushing for cleaner air support it - but some residents, businesses and politicians have expressed serious concerns.
Their worries include the impact on people's wallets during a cost-of-living crisis (the charge is £12.50 a day for those whose vehicles are affected), and they say the nine-month notice period between the announcement and the expansion isn't long enough for people to adapt.
Some people also say the scrappage scheme, external won't help them. And the cost of second-hand Ulez-compliant cars has also risen.
There have been plenty of public protests and five Conservative-run councils have launched legal action over the expansion - we'll hear what the judge thinks about this shortly.
The mayor has defended the plan, arguing it's necessary to help prevent health conditions related to air pollution and even excess deaths.
Ulez - pronounced Yoo-lez or Oo-lez depending on which you think sounds better - is the Ultra Low Emission Zone, an area in London in which drivers of the most polluting vehicles must pay £12.50 a day to use their vehicles.
Boris Johnson introduced the scheme - aimed at cutting air pollution in the capital - when he was the mayor of London.
It first came into effect in April 2019 - by this time, Labour's Sadiq Khan had been elected mayor.
Initially, the scheme covered the same area as the Congestion Zone (just the very centre of the city), before widening out to the North and South Circular roads in 2021.
Khan now plans to extend it to all of Greater London next month - and this extension is what the judge will be ruling on.
Find out more about Ulez here - and check if you car passes the muster here, external.
Dulcie Lee
Live reporter
Image source, EPAWe’ll soon be hearing the fate of Sadiq Khan’s controversial plan to extend the Ultra Low Emission Zone, which will charge drivers of the most polluting vehicles £12.50 a day to drive in the capital.
Last year, the Labour mayor said the scheme, which is designed to curb air pollution, would be expanded from covering the area between the North and South Circular roads to all London boroughs from 29 August - a month's time.
But five Conservative-led councils have taken the mayor to the High Court, arguing he “lacks the powers” to extend the zone, attacking the consultation process, and claiming he has messed up the scrappage scheme.
Khan strongly disagrees, and stresses Ulez will improve air quality for Londoners.
We’re expecting judge Mr Justice Swift to give his ruling at 10:00, where he’ll say whether the expansion to the outskirts of the city is legal or not.
We’ll have it all here live - stick with us.