London mayor Sadiq Khan has confirmed his plan for an earlier start date for an Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).

In a statement today, TfL confirmed that the ULEZ would start on 8 April 2019 in central London requiring HGVs to meet Euro-6 emission standards and petrol-powered vehicles Euro-4.

The ULEZ will replace the T-Charge introduced last week and operate in the same area, alongside the Congestion Charge but (unlike the T-Charge and Congestion Charge, which are only in place on weekdays) it will operate 24 hours a days, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Failure to pay the £100 charge for HGVs could see a fine of up to £1,000 levied.

Plans to extend the ULEZ London-wide for HGVs remain under consultation.

Last year, London operator O’Donovan Waste Disposal urged Khan to give the road transport industry more time to adjust to the new emissions rules.

Jacqueline O’Donovan, MD at the Tottenham-based firm, said any acceleration in the rollout of the ULEZ would leave very little time for operators to plan for the reforms.

“Khan’s clean air revolution will require HGV operators to reduce diesel emissions in all forms across their entire fleets, as well as require them to adopt new clean technologies.”

“But this does not happen overnight,” warned O’Donovan, adding that the wider industry needs time to make further changes and adopt new technologies.

In today’s statement the mayor said: “London’s lethal air is one of the biggest health challenges of this generation. We can’t continue breathing in air so toxic it harms children’s lung development and causes chronic illness and premature death. I am determined to take the bold action needed to address this scourge once and for all.

“So I am pleased to confirm that from 8th April 2019 – 17 months earlier than planned – stricter standards for diesel vehicles will apply 24/7 across central London. This builds on the success of the T-Charge and is part of my comprehensive plan to clean London’s air.”

ULEZ - Key points

  • From April 2019 the ULEZ will replace the T-Charge and operate in the same area, alongside the congestion charge but (unlike the T-Charge and Congestion Charge, which are only in place on weekdays) it will operate 24 hours a days, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
  • There will also be two ULEZ charge levels: £12.50 a day for cars, vans and motorbikes and £100 a day for lorries, buses and coaches. These charges will be in addition to the Congestion Charge (C-Charge), so the more polluting cars and vans would pay £24 per day and lorries would pay £111.50 during C-Charge hours.
  • All revenue raised will be used by Transport for London to help maintain a greener transport fleet and reduce pollution across the transport network.

TfL's director of city planning Alex Williams will be taking part in next week's LoCITY conference held at Freight in the City Expo in London on 7 November.

Williams will be talking to the freight sector about the ULEZ rollout, as well as the mayor's draft transport strategy, and on hand to answer audience questions.

Register today for your free entry pass.

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