Residents of Lewisham, Hackney and Tower Hamlets are being reminded that the ultra-low emissions zone (ULEZ) has expanded, and now includes all areas within the North and South Circular roads.

The expansion is a further attempt to reduce pollution and ensure cleaner air across London, both inside and outside the zone. 

The new zone will be operating on top of the congestion charge, and anybody driving non-compliant vehicles within the zone or across the zone’s boundaries has to pay a daily charge of £12.50. 

According to Transport for London (TfL), four out of five cars within the zone already meet the ULEZ emissions standards and so will not be expected to pay the daily charge. 

The owners of non-compliant vehicles, however will have to pay or find alternative travel. 

Petrol cars registered from 2005 onwards are likely to be exempt, as well as the majority of diesel cars registered after September 2015. Vehicles can be checked on the tfl.gov website here. 

Alternatively, a scrappage scheme has been launched which offers drivers the opportunity to scrap their old vehicles in return for a cash grant towards a compliant vehicle. 

Failure to pay will result in a penalty of £160 for cars, vans and motorbikes and £1,000 for lorries and coaches.

TfL also said that the ULEZ has contributed to a 44 per cent drop ‘in roadside nitrogen dioxide within its boundaries’ since it began in 2019, with a further 30 per cent anticipated by the end of 2021.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan commented that he was: ‘incredibly proud that expanding the ultra-low emission zone will clean up London’s toxic air pollution and help tackle the global climate emergency by reducing emissions. 

‘But pollution isn’t just a central London problem, which is why expanding the ULEZ today will benefit Londoners across the whole of the city and is a crucial step in London’s green recovery from this pandemic.’

The new zone covers a quarter of London, including 3.8 million people making it the largest emissions zone in Europe. 

Mayor of Hackney, Philip Glanville said: ‘We’ve lobbied hard in the past for ULEZ to be expanded to cover the whole of Hackney. Already in central London, ULEZ has seen significant reductions in nitrogen dioxide emissions, which we hope is replicated in all parts of the borough, helping to tackle London’s pollution crisis.’ 

The scheme will be operating 24 hours a day, every day of the year excluding Christmas Day.