Ulez - the Ultra Low Emission Zone scheme - has expanded to cover almost all of Greater London
The scheme, aimed at improving air quality, charges people a daily £12.50 fee for driving vehicles that don't meet certain emissions standards
The expansion is divisive - Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says it's not the right time as families struggle with the cost of living
But Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan says it's "vital" to bring cleaner air and improve the health of Londoners
Earlier in the summer, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer blamed the scheme for losing a by-election in Uxbridge
Ulez was developed by Boris Johnson when he was mayor, but was implemented by Khan - it initially covered central London and was expanded significantly in 2021
Transport Secretary Mark Harper says he does not back the expansion of Ulez, emphasising that it's a decision by Labour’s London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
He tells BBC Breakfast that no central government money can be used for the expansion, and it must come from the mayor’s own budget.
It looks like many people have been checking whether their vehicle is Ulez compliant this morning.
A few moments ago, we went to check on TfL's website, external to check our vehicles, but were told there were delays of up to four minutes to access the page.
Luckily for you, our previous post will give you a pretty good indication of if your vehicle is compliant.
Whether or not your vehicle can be driven in Greater London without paying the Ulez fee more or less depends on its year of manufacture. But, this isn't based on some arbitrary year – it's to do with EU standards., external
Broadly, these are the vehicles you can drive in London without paying the Ulez fee:
You can check your vehicle on Transport for London's website here, external.
Ulez - pronounced Yoo-lez or Oo-lez, take your pick - 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. Today, as you'll see from the map below, it is being expanded across all of Greater London.
Five Conservative-led councils tried to stop the expansion with a legal challenge, but the High Court ruled in favour of Khan and the expansion of the scheme was given the go-ahead.
Find out more about Ulez here - and check if you car passes muster here, external.
Dulcie Lee
Live reporter
London's Ultra Low Emission Zone, Ulez, has now expanded to cover all of Greater London, with owners of the most polluting cars now facing a £12.50 daily charge to drive in the capital.
The scheme had previously been limited just to central areas of the city.
It hit national headlines earlier this summer, after anger over the plan by some residents was interpreted as a key factor in the Conservatives narrowly holding onto Boris Johnson’s old constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip in a by-election.
Clean air campaigners support the expansion, and London Mayor Sadiq Khan has staunchly defended his decision. But it’s safe to say support from Labour’s leadership has been lukewarm at best in the wake of the defeat.
Stick with us and we’ll take a look under the bonnet (ahem) of how Ulez works, what it aims to achieve, and analyse the political implications of expansion.