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Following months of consultations, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced that the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) is to be expanded to cover all areas of London. But what does this mean for drivers who regularly travel to the capital? Our latest article investigates…
Also known as the Congestion Zone, the ULEZ is set to grow to operate across all London boroughs, up to the current Low Emission Zone (LEZ) boundary (the majority of the area inside the M25) from 29th August 2023, with disabled drivers being given a grace period until 2027.
The ULEZ has already been successful in creating cleaner air in central London, helping to reduce roadside pollution levels by 44%. Khan believes that more than five million more Londoners will benefit from cleaner air as a result of the new area being included in the ULEZ.
Vehicles must meet strict emission standards to drive in the ULEZ area:
Vehicles that do not meet the standards must pay the £12.50 daily charge, and TfL is increasing the penalty charge to £180 (reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days) for those who fail to pay.
Preparing for change
As well as promoting cleaner air, it’s also hoped the new ULEZ parameters will further drive the switch to greener forms of transport. This includes public transport but also encourages drivers to switch to electric vehicles or ICE/hybrid vehicles that meet the above emissions standards.
The government has acknowledged the expense of changing vehicles – especially during the current cost-of-living crisis – and has also announced a new £110m scrappage scheme to support Londoners on lower incomes, disabled Londoners, charities and small businesses and sole traders. The scheme opened for applications on 30th January 2023.
We’re here to help
If you live in or regularly travel to London, our Johnsons team members are here to help you get ready for the ULEZ expansion. We can help you find a new lower-emission vehicle to ensure you meet the requirements of this new area.
Remember that although electric and hybrid vehicles are generally more expensive to buy than their petrol and diesel counterparts, this is largely offset by their lower running costs. Going electric can also significantly reduce the cost of commuting in the capital. View our electric and hybrid range here.
We’re also here to support small businesses who rely on vans for deliveries in the capital. A popular option is the Ford Transit Custom plug-in hybrid van, which features geofencing technology that detects when the van enters a low-emission zone and automatically switches to the electric-only drive mode.
Contact us today
So, if you’re considering making your next motor an electrified one, why not pop into one of our Johnsons dealerships to discuss your needs further?
Our friendly team can talk you through the benefits of EVs and hybrids in more detail and can arrange test drives of your favourite models.Whatever your question or feedback we are here to help. So please feel free to contact us.
Immerse yourself even deeper. Visit our social channels.
Johnsons Cars Limited is an appointed representative of ITC Compliance Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (their registration number is 313486) and which is permitted to advise on and arrange general insurance contracts as an intermediary.
Johnsons Cars Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) (our registration number is 688450. Permitted activities include acting as a credit broker not a lender.
As an FCA regulated credit broker we can introduce you to a selected group of lenders / brokers (see below) who may be able to help you finance your purchase. This group of lenders / brokers provides us with a range of products which may be suitable for your purchase. We will explain the key features of those products to you.
Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Limited, Evolution Funding Limited, Santander Consumer (UK) plc, Honda Finance Europe PLC, CA Auto Finance UK Ltd, Suzuki Financial Services Limited, Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Limited, Hyundai Capital UK Limited, Stellantis Financial Services Uk Limited, Toyota Financial Services (UK) PLC, FCE Bank Plc,
We are a credit broker and not a lender. We can introduce you to a limited number of lenders and their finance products, we act as their agent for this introduction. We are not an independent financial advisor; we will provide details of products available. We may advise you on the products, subject to your personal circumstances, though you are not obliged to take our advice or recommendation.
We do not charge you a fee for our services. we will typically receive commission from whichever lender we introduce you to (either a fixed fee or a fixed percentage of the amount you borrow).
Unless we consider it to be inappropriate given your personal circumstances, for certain vehicles e.g. New, our approach is to introduce you to the lender who are usually able to offer the best available package for you, taking into account interest rates, residual valuations (where applicable) and other contributions. If they are unable to make you an offer of finance, or the vehicle is not one that we would normally place with them we will introduce you to other lenders on our panel. The lender we introduce you to and available rates will depend upon a number of factors including: the vehicle, your personal circumstances and the likelihood of a lender to accept an application based on information provided.
Lenders typically pay a commission to us for introducing you to them, calculated by reference to the vehicle model or amount you borrow. Different lenders may pay different commissions for such introductions; some lenders may also provide preferential rates to us for the funding of our vehicle stock and also provide financial support for our training and marketing. But any such amounts they and other lenders pay us will not affect the amounts you pay under your finance agreement, all of which are set by the lender concerned. If you would like to know the amount of any remuneration we have received from the finance provider, please ask us.
All finance applications are subject to status, terms and conditions apply, UK residents only, 18’s or over, Guarantees may be required. View our full finance disclosure.
