More children walk or cycling to school in city since Ülez introduced

THE launch of the ultra-low emission zone in central London has been linked with an increase in the number of inner-city children walking or cycling to school.

- Ross Lydall

Four in 10 children who were previously driven to school — a total of 44 out of 105 — switched to more “active” modes of travel, such as walking, cycling, or public transport, according to research.

This compared with two in 10 schoolchildren (74 out of 364) in Luton — where there was no Ulez — who made the switch over the same period.

The Ulez was launched in central London in April 2019 by Mayor Sadiq Khan and reduced the number of more polluting, “non-compliant” vehicles by about 9,400 a day.

The launch of the £12.50-a-day levy may have discouraged some parents from driving their children to school, resulting in the increase in walking and cycling.

However, the vast majority of London schoolchildren in the study already walked, cycled or caught a bus to school.