‘Landmark day' as Ulez expands to the suburbs

SADIQ KHAN today hailed a “landmark day” as the ultra-low emission zone expanded to London’s suburbs in a bid to reduce levels of toxic air.

- Ross Lydall and Joe Talora

But the Mayor faced demands for a “soft launch” and for motorists who fail to pay the £12.50-aday Ulez levy to be given a month-long amnesty from receiving a £160 fine.

Figures from City Hall today revealed that 87 per cent of vehicles in the expanded zone now meet the Ulez exhaust emission standards, meaning they are not liable for the 24/7 charge.

But 110,000 a day are thought likely to have to pay — which would generate a daily income for Transport for London of almost £1.4 million in levies alone. This is down from 137,000 payments a day estimated when Mr Khan confirmed last year that he was going ahead with the expansion, to the inner boundaries of the North and South Circular roads.

Mr Khan said the impact of the Ulez expansion was equivalent to taking 60,000 vehicles off the roads. Levels of transport-related nitrogen oxides are expected to fall by 30 per cent.