When will Ures expand? Nearly 700,000 cars in London will be tolled

Conservative candidate Steve Tuckwell said: London Mayor Sadik Khanexpansion plan Ures Ulles proved to be a highly controversial figure in Uxbridge and South Ruislip and thus contributed to the Tory victory.

Mr. clan chief faced before high court showdown over his controversial expansion plans Ures. Judge Judge Swift said he would try to reach a ruling by July 31.

Mr Khan Ures By 29th August it was to cover most of Greater London. but, council of fiveThey allege that Khan’s inappropriate and disrespectful actions could lead to a delay in the launch date.

Here’s everything we know about Ures. Expansion Plans and their expected impact.

What is Ures?

Ures is an area of ​​London where more polluting vehicles must pay to enter.

it’s a bit like Congestion charge zone — just much bigger.So if Mr Khan If things go according to plan, Ures will cover all of Greater London by the end of August this year.

Simply put, if you drive an older petrol or diesel car you have to pay TfL £12.50 for each day you enter or travel within the Urez Zone.

Khan launched Ulez in central London in 2019. Two and a half years later it has expanded to the edge of London. north-south ring road.

But the mayor wants to extend the road a second time to cover all 33 boroughs of London, effectively introducing roads to most of the roads within the M25 motorway.

Why would Sadiq Khan want to expand Ures?

Khan wants to clean the air in London. He argues that a second expansion of the Ures would give an additional 5 million Londoners breathing cleaner air.

He often cites a study from Imperial College, which estimated that 3,600 to 4,100 premature deaths in London in 2019 were partly due to: poor air quality.

But a new study published by Imperial in 2021 concluded that Urez contributed to “only marginal improvements in air quality,” and there was already a long-term downward trend in harmful air levels.

They said Urez alone was not an effective strategy to improve air quality, but was “most effective” when combined with other emission reduction policies.

Will the Ures expansion actually clean up London’s noxious air?

This is an important question, but not an easy one to answer.

Jacobs, an independent expert commissioned by TfL, said a “moderate positive impact” is likely. Nitrogen oxide emissions — from exhaust pipes — and “minor positive impact” on PM emissions, small soot particles from diesel engines, tires and brakes.

Overall, Ures is expected to have a “minor positive impact” on the health of Londoners. This is according to a summary of an investigation by the House Library.

Khan believes the Greater London Ulles expansion will reduce NOx emissions from passenger cars in the London suburbs by 10 percent and NOx emissions from vans by 7 percent.

about half Most of London’s nitrogen oxide emissions come from road traffic. The rest comes from factories, construction sites, homes, offices, river transport and airplanes.

as for PM microparticles, In London about 31% of this is road traffic. PM levels are often weather dependent and particles can be blown in from mainland Europe. Khan believes the Ulez will reduce his PM emissions from exhaust by 16%.

What is the latest data on Ures?

TfL’s latest report examines the impact one year after the Ures Road was extended to the boundary between the North and South Ring Roads. This resulted in a 60% reduction in the number of ‘non-compliant’ vehicles traveling in or around London.

But it also included data showing that nitrogen dioxide levels in central London are rising. This is due to an increase in traffic volume after the pandemic, but it is also possible that the relaxation of operating hours for congestion charges is also a factor.

The report also showed that the rate of nitrogen dioxide decline in the suburbs was not as dramatic as that seen in central London.

How many more people will have to pay the Ures tax?

Today, about 35,000 drivers pay Ulez every day.

However, about 700,000 drivers London have to pay £12.50 Ures If this system expands, they will be taxed when they use their cars. According to new analysis.

Royal Automobile Club (RAC)The company, which obtained figures from the Drivers and Vehicles Licensing Agency (DVLA), said the expansion would have a “significant economic impact on drivers and businesses.”

The mayor’s office disputes the figures, but Transportation in London (TfL) claimed that 9 out of 10 cars on average per day in suburban London meet Ulez standards.

TfL estimates that about 200,000 more drivers will have to pay their tolls each day.

But the RAC figure is the first to show the total number of non-compliant vehicles registered to London addresses, which already includes many homes in the current Urez area.

Who has to pay for Ures?

If you drive a petrol car with a so-called “Euro 4” engine (i.e. all cars built after 2006) or a diesel car with a “Euro 6” engine introduced from 2014, you do not have to pay Ulez.

if your car is old This means that if you have a petrol vehicle that is over 16 years old, or a diesel vehicle that is over 7 years old, you may have to pay a fee. Check your license plate on the TfL website.

About 85 per cent of the new Greater London Zone vehicles are already emission compliant and do not have to be paid for.

How many people are against Ures?

It’s very difficult to be sure of that. About 58,000 people or organizations responded to his TfL talks in the summer of 2022.

A majority (59%) said Urez should not be expanded across Greater London.

But Khan believes the talks have been “hijacked” by car advocacy groups and motorists living outside London.

He pointed to a poll of 1,200 Londoners commissioned by City Hall, 51 percent support for expansion.

Most recently, there has been something of a backlash against Urez from five Conservative boroughs, which filed lawsuits in July.

The borough argues that Ures does little to improve air quality and was introduced at the worst possible time because of the cost of living crisis.

Other city councils have said they support efforts to clean the air but are calling for Khan’s delay to give drivers more time to change cars.

Some parliaments have said the TfL will not allow Urez cameras to be installed on roads. Other residents outside of London say they will refuse to put up signs for Ures.

Has Urez changed the type of cars driven in London?

Yes, quite noticeable. By 2021, when Ures expanded into the suburbs, 87 percent of vehicles were compliant and 13 percent had to pay a levy.

However, one year later, the adherence rate had risen to 94.4%. This provided clear evidence that the “short and sharp shock” of having to pay £12.50 per day is forcing drivers to upgrade their vehicles or avoid trips to the zone.

The number of diesel vehicles in the area has decreased by 63% in 12 months. This represents a reduction of 50,000 diesel vehicles per day.

Is Mr Khan offering any help to Londoners looking to upgrade their cars?

yes – £110m disposal plan It opened in January. This will provide a £2,000 subsidy to low-income Londoners to either scrap their cars or buy a car that complies with Urez regulations.

But don’t hang around. We only have enough cash to help about 30,000 people.

What happens if I don’t pay Ulez?

Bad news: A £180 fine will be mailed to you. TfL has admitted that thousands of drivers default on their payments and are in huge debt, which they attribute to the cost of living crisis.

The important thing to remember is that Ulez applies not just to Londoners, but to anyone driving in or within the capital in a vehicle that violates emissions regulations. This includes foreign drivers.

Simply put, if you’re driving a more polluting car (what we used to call an ‘old banger’) in London, you have to pay.

Cellphone cameras could be used to thwart a “rodent runaway” in London’s suburbs, where motorists believe they can avoid the expansion of Ures, according to London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

At least 200 new Ulez cameras have been destroyed, calling into question Transport for London’s ability to police the mayor’s clean air zone.