If you’ve just read the title and thought “ULEZ…what on earth is that?” read on….
To help improve air quality, an Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) was put in place in central London on 8 April 2019 – this is the same area as the Congestion Charge. From 25 October 2021 the area will expand to the inner London area bounded by the North and South Circular roads.
Detail about the charges and when ULEZ operates is below but one thing our team can immediately advise on is switching to a hybrid or fully electric vehicle that will ensure you avoid all charges, and do your bit for the environment too. The 'green' options available to drivers are plentiful with more and more hybrid and electric vehicles hitting the market at regular intervals. The Vauxhall Grandland, Ford Kuga, Renault Zoe and of course the ever popular Tesla Model 3 are all much sought after green cars. Our team can offer advice on what's best for you and your driving needs as well as being able to advise on the location of charging points to ensure you don't have any 'range anxiety' when making the switch.
What are the ULEZ charges?
The ULEZ daily charge will be £12.50 for most vehicle types, including cars, motorcycles and vans (up to and including 3.5 tonnes) and £100 for heavier vehicles, including lorries (over 3.5 tonnes) and buses/coaches (over 5 tonnes)
The Penalty charge has been set at £160 (reduced to £80 if paid within 14 days.)
The ULEZ daily charge will be in addition to the weekday Congestion Charge and the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) charge and will replace the T-Charge.
TFL say they would rather encourage drivers to drive vehicles that comply with the stricter emission standards rather than pay the daily charge
When ULEZ operates
The daily charge runs from midnight to midnight. If you drive within the ULEZ area across two days, for example before midnight and after midnight, you will be liable to pay two daily charges if your vehicle doesn't meet the ULEZ standards.
To discuss making the move to a greener alternative vehicle, contact our team today.