London councils launch independent scrappage schemes ahead of ULEZ expansion

Since Sadiq Khan was given the go-ahead to continue with his expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone, two Labour-led councils have launched their own schemes to help residents transition to compliant vehicles.

Last week, before the Mayor of London announced an expansion to his own scrappage scheme, Merton Council announced that they were launching a £1m scrappage scheme thermselves, whereby a £1000 per vehicle grant will be made available to motorists whose cars meet the Transport for London (TfL) scrappage criteria.

The scheme, which is scheduled to launch in September, will be open to people regardless of whether they have applied to the existing TfL scheme. Applications to the fund will be on a first-come-first-served basis, and take-up figures will be published to allow as many people as possible have a chance to apply.

Ross Garrod, Leader of Merton Council. said: ‘We need to clean up the air we breathe and part of the solution to that is moving away from using high polluting vehicles. But the cost of living crisis isn’t going away, and the government is refusing to provide the support needed to help people scrap their cars – that’s why we are stepping in to provide this targeted support.’

Councillor Stephen Alambritis, Cabinet Member for Transport added: ‘This scheme is the latest example of the great progress we are making in helping people choose sustainable alternatives for travelling around. In the first twelve months of this Administration, we’ve brought e-bikes to the borough, campaigned for better bus connectivity, and installed hundreds of Electric Vehicle charging points so you’re only a few minutes’ walk from one anywhere in the borough.’

Today, Wandsworth Council have launched a £1m scrappage scheme of their own, called the Wandsworth Sustainable Travel Fund. It will, according to Council leader Simon Hogg: ‘provide targeted support to help local people struggling with the cost of living – as well as dedicated, hardworking local carers – make the transition away from high polluting vehicles’.

The Mayor said: ‘It’s disappointing that the council is having to step in while the Government still refuse to provide any additional scrappage funding to London, even though it has done so for other cities implementing Clean Air Zones, including Birmingham, Bristol and Portsmouth.’