All Londoners needing help scrapping car for Ulez eligible for thousands of pounds as Khan offers olive branch
3 August 2023, 22:32 | Updated: 4 August 2023, 00:03
Every Londoner will be offered thousands of pounds worth of help to scrap their vehicles if they are not Ulez compliant.
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Sadiq Khan announced on Thursday night he had listened to critics after they said his expensive anti-pollution scheme would hit their pockets hard.
They have been especially worried given the zone will soon cover all of London.
Now, the mayor has said everyone in the capital whose car does not meet emissions standards will be eligible for a £2,000 grant from August 21.
Small businesses and sole traders will be able to claim up to £21,000 to scrap as many as three vans and get them replaced.
Charities can get up to £27,000 to scrap three minibuses as City Hall hailed "the most generous scrappage scheme ever seen in the UK".
Support for people needing wheelchair-friendly vehicles with see the initial £5,000 of support double to £10,000 due to the expensive modifications required.
Motorbikes are also included.
Read more: Home Counties rebel against Ulez: Six out of seven councils refuse to allow signs
"I'm not prepared to step back, delay or water down vital green policies like ULEZ, which will not only save lives and protect children's lungs by cleaning up our polluted air but help us to fight the climate crisis," the mayor said.
"I have continued to listen to the concerns of Londoners over recent months, and today I can announce a huge expansion to the scrappage scheme that means that all Londoners with non ULEZ-compliant cars will now be able to get financial support to switch to greener, less polluting vehicles.
"As we continue to build a greener and healthier London for everyone, I’m determined that no Londoner and no London business is left behind. We need to take people with us on the path to a sustainable future. We are ensuring that help is now available for everyone – and I urge Londoners to come and get it."
A host of other support is also due to kick in on Friday, including:
- Increased payments of £7,000 for small businesses and charities to scrap vans, up from £5,000
- Those with wheelchair accessible vehicles can get £7,000, up from £9,000
- Grants for replacing non-compliant vans with electric vans rise from £7,500 to £9,500, while scrapping minibuses for electric ones can fetch up to £11,500, up from £9,500
- Retrofit grants rise to £6,000 from £5,000
The funding comes from £50m of City Hall's reserves. Initially, scrappage schemes were aimed at people on lower incomes and with disabilities.
Khan has tied his political reputation to the scheme, claiming it is essential to bring down 4,000 premature deaths linked to air pollution and prevent children from developing stunted lungs or conditions like asthma and heart disease.
About 90% of cars seen in outer London on an average day are already compliant, he said.
However, non-complaint vehicles are charged £12.50, infuriating drivers who have already faced more expensive fuel prices, pay the congestion charge and battle against low traffic neighbourhoods that have been popping up in the capital.
They have been joined by Conservative councils, though those recently failed in a High Court bid to block the scheme expanding to cover all of London.
It will encompass the entire capital from August 29.
Tory home county councils have even refused to put up Ulez signs on their territory.
Khan will hope these measures help to quell ferocious opposition to it after Labour failed to flip Boris Johnson's old seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip from the Conservatives, who just clung on by hundreds of votes in last month's by-election.
The Tories effectively turned the campaign into a referendum on Ulez, prompting some in the party to suggest they row back on green measures.
Khan has refused to tone down his plans even after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer hinted at concerns with the policy in the wake of the defeat.
