Majority of vehicles are now compliant with ULEZ

92% of vehicles driving into London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone  (ULEZ) are now compliant, according to new figures released by the Mayor of London. 

The newly expanded ULEZ is 18 times the size of the original Central London zone which was introduced in 2019. 

The zone now covers 4 million people, measuring 380km2 it covers one-quarter of London and is the largest zone of its kind in Europe. 

Today’s report evaluates the impact of the expanded ULEZ in its first month.

The key findings reveal that: 

• Compared to compliance levels of 39% in 2017, the percentage of vehicles now meeting the required standard has more than doubled
• On average there were around 47,000 fewer older, more polluting vehicles seen each day in the zone compared to the two weeks before the scheme was introduced, a reduction of 37%
• There were also 11,000 fewer vehicles driving at all, each day. As a result of these changes, there will be an estimated 5% reduction in CO₂ emissions from cars and vans in the newly expanded zone in its first year. This is on top of the 6% reduction in CO2 emissions in the central London ULEZ area since 2019.
• Compliance with the ULEZ standards in the rest of London outside the zone has reached 82% an increase of 2% points since the scheme went live in October, demonstrating the wider benefits of the scheme. This compares to compliance levels of 39% in February 2017, an increase of 43% since the ULEZ was announced.

The ULEZ expansion, alongside tighter Londonwide Low Emission Zone (LEZ) standards for heavy vehicles introduced in March, is expected to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from road transport by 30% across London in 2021.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: ‘This shows how bold action reaps rewards on air quality and climate change. Just one month after expanding the world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone, we have seen a significant reduction in the number of older, more polluting vehicles driving in our capital. This is vitally important because toxic air is an invisible killer, responsible for one of the biggest public health crises of our generation.

‘In central London, the ULEZ has already helped cut toxic roadside nitrogen dioxide pollution by nearly half. But pollution isn’t just a central London problem. Everyone should have the right to breathe clean air, which is why expanding the ULEZ was a crucial step. The high compliance rate means that millions of Londoners are already benefiting from cleaner air.’