24/7 Space News
CAR TECH
London vehicle pollution toll zone expands despite controversy
London vehicle pollution toll zone expands despite controversy
By Joe JACKSON
London (AFP) Aug 29, 2023

London's Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is set to be expanded on Tuesday, with proponents promising cleaner air throughout the British capital but opponents decrying the financial burden during a cost-of-living crisis.

The city's mayor Sadiq Khan is pressing ahead with the road charging scheme's politically charged extension across Greater London despite a fierce backlash from many living in and around the newly encompassed areas.

The contentious move also has national political implications, after it was blamed for costing his main opposition Labour party victory in a by-election last month in former prime minister Boris Johnson's old parliamentary seat.

Khan had reportedly come under pressure from Labour leader Keir Starmer to stall or U-turn on the plans but refused.

A High Court challenge brought by several outer London local authorities also failed to stop its expansion.

"We can't kick the can down the road when it comes to addressing a public health emergency or tackling the climate emergency," the mayor said earlier this month as controversy around the expansion continued to dog him.

- Air quality -

London's ULEZ mirrors similar low-emission zones to improve air quality in more than 200 cities in 10 countries across Europe.

First introduced in the inner city in 2019 and separate from the two-decades-old congestion charge, it requires drivers of the most polluting vehicles to pay 12.50 pounds ($16) on days they are on the road.

They face fines of up to 180 pounds for each day they fail to pay.

Khan has defended the expansion as needed to help improve London's "toxic" air pollution -- including in outlying areas -- which he notes causes thousands of annual deaths and life-changing illnesses.

He himself developed adult-onset asthma a decade ago and blames it on decades of breathing the capital's poor air.

In a legal first in 2021, a coroner ruled that poor air quality from vehicle emissions made a "material contribution" to the death of a nine-year-old London girl who suffered a severe asthma attack.

- Non-compliant vehicles -

Petrol cars registered pre-2006 and diesel vehicles first registered before September 2015 are unlikely to meet the minimum emissions standards required.

Transport for London (TfL) -- a local government body -- estimates that fewer than 200,000 such vehicles currently enter the new zone, based on existing ULEZ camera analysis.

But the RAC motoring group used a freedom of information request to discover that more than 850,000 ineligible vehicles are registered within London alone.

Khan argues that many of those are not actually driven in the capital.

Opponents are unconvinced by the mayor's broader pitch, with some viewing the scheme's extension as simply intended to raise revenue as TfL faces post-pandemic budget shortfalls.

Many are also upset at the cost of replacing non-compliant vehicles.

It comes as Britain grapples with decades-high inflation, spiralling bills and anaemic economic growth, which have left many people struggling to pay for their daily essentials.

Khan earlier this month increased financial support for such vehicle owners, making various grants worth thousands of pounds to scrap non-compliant cars and trucks available to every Londoner.

Khan on Sunday expressed frustration at the lack of government support for the scheme and the accompanying scrappage reimbursement, unlike for those in other cities in England.

"I am disappointed that they seem to be weaponising air pollution and climate change," he told the PA news agency.

Related Links
Car Technology at SpaceMart.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
CAR TECH
Chinese electric carmaker BYD triples half-year profit
Beijing (AFP) Aug 28, 2023
BYD, China's leading electric carmaker, said on Monday its half-year net profit had tripled based on record demand. BYD posted a net profit of 10.95 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) for the January-June period, up almost 205 percent year-on-year, the group said in a statement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The result was in line with estimates made by BYD in July of between 10.5 billion and 11.7 billion yuan. Half-year sales were also up sharply year-on-year, rising 73 percent to 260.1 billion ... read more

CAR TECH
Station Hosts 11 Crewmates from Five Countries

NASA challenges students to fly Earth and Space experiments

US seeks to extend China science accord, but only briefly for now

Indian lunar lander splits from propulsion module in key step

CAR TECH
SpaceX sends crew of four to ISS

Rocket Lab Launches 40th Electron Mission, Successfully Flies Reused Engine

Rocket Lab inks dedicated launch deal with Japanese EO company iQPS

NASA SpaceX Crew-7 'Go' for August 25 Launch

CAR TECH
NASA, Partners study ancient life in Australia to inform Mars search

Martian Tapas With a View: Sols 3926-3927

Delight at Dream Lake

Approaching the Ridgetop - "Bermuda Triangle" Ahead: Sols 3923-3925

CAR TECH
From rice to quantum gas: China's targets pioneering space research

China to launch "Innovation X Scientific Flight" program, applications open worldwide

Scientists reveal blueprint of China's lunar water-ice probe mission

Shenzhou 15 crew share memorable moments from Tiangong Station mission

CAR TECH
Viasat provides status update on Inmarsat-6 F2

Pentagon awards contracts for next 'swarm' of tiny missile defense satellites

Atlas Credit Partners provides $100M strategic financing to AST SpaceMobile

Intelsat completes C-Band spectrum clearing for 5G Deployment

CAR TECH
US envoy feasts on Fukushima fish, slams China water 'dumps'

MIT engineers use kirigami to make ultrastrong, lightweight structures

First geosynchronous orbit SAR satellite enters working orbit

Japan slams China harassment over Fukushima water release

CAR TECH
Study explains how part of the nucleolus evolved

Size dependence and the collisional dynamics of protoplanetary dust growth

A "Jupiter" hotter than the Sun

Watch an exoplanet's 17-year journey around its star

CAR TECH
Neptune's Disappearing Clouds Linked to the Solar Cycle

The Road to Jupiter: Two decades of trajectory optimization

NASA's Europa probe gets a hotline to Earth

All Eyes on the Ice Giants

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.