London to make people pay for polluting cars

London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) could be expanded to cover the entire city. The plan was outlined by the mayor of the capital, Sadiq Khan, as part of efforts to reduce air pollution. This is reported Bloomberg.

For entry into the Ulez zone, drivers whose emissions from cars exceed the established norm pay £12.5 a day (about 2,000 rubles). The regulations take into account emissions of nitrogen dioxide, which damages the lungs and exacerbates some diseases, such as asthma. Khan has asked the Metropolitan Department of Transport to hold consultations by the end of next year on expanding the Ulez from the North and South Ring Roads to the borders of all of London.

The city authorities considered several options to reduce emissions. Sandy Khan refused to introduce a special levy that would affect all but the most environmentally friendly car drivers. In addition, the mayor is not going to promote the proposal to charge drivers of cars registered outside London to enter the capital. “In weighing the various options, the rising cost of living has been a key factor for me. I believe that the proposal to expand the Ulez zone to cover all of London will have the largest impact on reducing emissions relative to the financial impact on Londoners,” Khan said.

The mayor also asked the Department of Transportation to explore the possibility of charging motorists not just for entering the Ulez zone, but for each mile driven in it, depending on the volume of car emissions, the level of congestion in the area and the availability of public transport in the area. However, the necessary technology for such an accurate and detailed movement will not be ready for many years to come.

In 2021, new rules for drivers were introduced in Paris. The mayor of the French capital Anne Hidalgo has limited the speed in certain areas of the city to 30 kilometers per hour in order to reduce emissions. Car owners reacted negatively to the politician’s initiative.