The expansion of the London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) led to three times as many daily charge payments in the week following its implementation.
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request carried out by Total Car Check has confirmed that Transport for London (TfL) received 425,814 ULEZ payments between when the expansion went live on 29 August and 4 September. This compares to 141,029 the week before.
Each payment represents a daily charge of £12.50 made by motorists that have driven a non-compliant vehicle within the new expanded ULEZ, covering the entire Greater London area, up to the M25 orbital and in some cases beyond.
During the first week of the expansion TfL therefore generated over £5m of revenue. If sustained over an annual period this would see the transport agency collect £277m from ULEZ charges – over £125m more than in 2022. Furthermore, the figures don’t factor in the additional income TfL receives from Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) where drivers fail to pay the charge. PCN income amounted to £80m in 2022.
TfL has disclosed that it expects to receive: £250m of income from charge payers in the six months between October 2023 and March 2024; £300m over the 2024/25 tax year; and a drop to £110m in 2025/26 as drivers shift to using cleaner vehicles in and around London.
All of the ULEZ income received by TfL is guaranteed to be reinvested into London’s transport network and for improving air quality in the city. London’s Mayor, Sadiq Khan has promised the funds to be targeted on more buses and cycle lanes in the capital.
TfL has published a first month update which makes a number of claims on the positive impacts of the scheme. Three of the key findings include:
Vehicles travelling in London were cleaner
95.3% of vehicles seen in the expanded London-wide ULEZ area were compliant and therefore cleaner compared to 91.6% in June 2023.
77,000 less non-compliant vehicles were seen in London
TfL reported a 44% reduction of higher polluting non-compliant vehicles compared to June 2023 across the London-wide ULEZ area.
48,000 fewer vehicles driving in London altogether
TfL’s report claims that there were 48,000 fewer unique vehicles travelling in and around the capital each day compared to June 2023.
For more information about ULEZ and to check if a vehicle is compliant visit our ULEZ check page
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