The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has introduced drastic new vehicle emissions standards in order to reduce toxic air pollution and to protect public health. As the mayor pointed out, this public health emergency is affecting approximately 2 million Londoners and thousands are dying early each year because of poor air quality. The core of these new standards is the world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), which means that drivers of older petrol or diesel cars face paying a new charge to enter the city centre.
“The scheme works under similar principles to the congestion charge. It’ll apply a fee to people who are driving in, and in the way that the congestion charge was introduced to reduce congestion, this aims to reduce air pollution. We’re very confident that it’ll have the same effect”, Laurie Laybourn-Langton, who is one of those who helped devise the scheme, told Euronews.
The ULEZ is only the first stage of a series of new standards. In 2021, the zone will be expanded to the areas surrounding the centre of London. The new charge will be paid by owners of petrol cars that are older than 14 years, as well as by owners of diesel cars that were made before 2015.
Source: Euronews