Ulez: Vehicle compliancy rate at 95% across London, City Hall report says

The Ultra Low Emission Zone expanded on 29 August

The number of vehicles complying with the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) has reached 95% across inner and outer London, a report by City Hall has said.

Data shows since the zone was expanded to cover all of London, vehicle compliance in the outer boroughs rose from 85% to 95%.

Mayor Sadiq Khan said the data showed the scheme, which aimed to improve London's air quality, was working.

But the Conservative Party said the expansion was a "tax grab".

BBC analysis, based on the report's data from 29 August until 30 September, suggests the expansion earned £23.6m from 57,200 drivers paying the daily £12.50 charge.

Transport for London (TfL) also received between £1.2m and £2.4m in enforcement income depending on whether Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) were paid within 14 or 28 days.

Data on fines is only available between 26 and 30 September as prior to that, warning notices were issued.

The report also found:

• Compliance rates across all vehicle types in outer London had nearly caught up with inner London

• In outer London, 96.4% of cars were now compliant, compared with 96.9% in inner London

• Transport for London (TfL) estimated there were 97,000 vehicles which were non-compliant

• Van compliancy is considerably lower at 86.2%, meaning one in seven vans were still non-compliant

• More than 37,200 individuals, businesses and charities, have claimed money from the scrappage scheme

• So far, £120m of the £160m committed to the scrappage scheme had been allocated.

Many cameras have been damaged, while others have been stolen

Responding to the report, Labour's Mr Khan said: "I've always said that the decision to expand the Ulez was very difficult, but a month on from the expansion we can already see that it is working."

While acknowledging that there "isn't enough data in relation to air quality", Mr Khan added: "We do know though, that after one month there are fewer non-compliant vehicles, who are the most polluting."

He claimed therefore expanding the Ulez had led to "cleaner air across London".

But the Conservative Party said the scheme was a "tax grab".

It said the scheme had brought in an estimated £44.3m based on City Hall data from the first month which it then extrapolated to cover 62 days until 30 October.

The Conservatives added the scheme would have brought in £8.2m in fines, if the non-compliant numbers continued at the same rate.

City Hall has not released data for the month of October.

Susan Hall, the Conservative mayoral candidate, said: "To take over £52m from hardworking people, with no gain to air quality described anywhere in this report, shows how little he cares for Londoners.

"It is those on the lowest incomes who are suffering most from this disastrous charge."

In a statement, City Hall said: "Expanding the Ulez is not about making money, it is about improving air quality and health outcomes.

"Any net revenue generated by the Ulez is invested directly into our public transport network and the Ulez will make no net revenue at all by 2026-27."

Analysis

Tom Edwards, BBC London transport and environment correspondent

What the figures show is the London fleet has changed after the expansion of Ulez.

In a way, that isn't surprising as that is what happened in its previous incarnations - people don't want to pay £12.50 a day so they change vehicles.

While this remains a contentious policy, bosses at TfL will be delighted it has got many to switch.

While cleaner vehicles should mean cleaner air, we won't find out the impact on air quality for months.

More time is needed to gather and examine the data so what the expanded Ulez has done to air quality probably won't be available before the mayoral elections next year.

That means the Ulez expansion (if there was ever any doubt) will be very much a live political issue in the mayoral election.

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