Sadiq Khan’s decision to expand the ultra-low emission zone has resulted in a significant drop in air pollution in the city, it has been revealed.
The London mayor extended Ulez from the inner London boroughs across the whole of London in August 2023, leading to widespread protests from motorists.
During the 2024 General Election, the Conservatives even used misleading adverts to suggest Labour would bring in a ‘national ULEZ’, such is the animosity surrounding the environmental scheme.
But Khan’s bold decision to expand emission zones appears to have paid off, with analysis covering the first six months of the roll-out finding that air pollution has been significantly reduced in the city thanks to the policy.
The study shows total emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from cars across London were 13 per cent lower than projected had the scheme remained confined to inner London, while NOx from vans was 7 per cent lower.
Levels of particulate pollution in the form of PM2.5 exhaust emissions from cars in outer London are an estimated 22 per cent lower than without the expansion.
The total change was equivalent to removing 200,000 cars from the road for one year, the report said.
Khan said: “Today’s report shows that the Ulez is working even better than expected. The expansion to outer London is already having a significant effect – driving down levels of pollution, taking old polluting cars off our roads and bringing cleaner air to millions more Londoners.
“We are now set to get London’s air to within legal limits by 2025, 184 years earlier than previously projected.”
Christina Calderato, the director of strategy at TfL, said the expansion had cut 424 tonnes of NOx emissions in six months.
She said: “We know that toxic air is associated with increased risks of asthma, cancer and dementia, and that it disproportionately affects poorer Londoners and those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.
“With the greatest number of deaths attributable to air pollution occurring in outer London, it’s great to see these results since the Ulez was introduced London-wide.”
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