Residents in London are breathing easier these days thanks to the city’s sometimes controversial clean car rules that the City says have clearly slashed the toxic pollution that had claimed thousands of lives a year.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, launched the world’s first 24-hour Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in April, 2019, and it was initially limited initially to central London.
The zone was subsequently expanded across inner London in 2021 and then again in August 2023 to cover the whole city. It imposes limits and charges to vehicles that don’t meet certain emission standards entering the city.
Approximately 4,000 premature deaths per year were previously attributed to toxic air in London, with air pollution shown to increase the risk of developing asthma, lung cancer, heart disease, and strokes, as well as growing evidence to suggest that air pollution exposure increases the risk of developing dementia.
A new report, which was “extensively reviewed” by an independent advisory group of experts, now says the ULEZ has led to “substantial improvements” in air quality in outer London and across the capital, with harmful roadside nitrogen dioxide (NO2) estimated to be 54 per cent lower in central London, 29 per cent lower in inner London, and 24 per cent lower in outer London.
Similarly, across the cumulative six-year period of the expanding ULEZ, levels of nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions and particular matter 2.5 (PM2.5) exhaust emissions are estimated to be 24 per cent and 29 per cent lower, respectively.
Importantly, communities with higher levels of poverty have also seen some of the biggest benefits. Specifically, the report showed that some of the most deprived communities that live near London’s busiest roads saw an estimated 80 per cent reduction in those exposed to illegal levels of pollution in 2023.
And, heading off critics of the scheme at the pass, the report also showed that expanding the ULEZ has not impacted footfall or retail and leisure spending in either outer London or London as a whole. In fact, visitor footfall in outer London increased by almost 2 per cent in the year after the London-wide ULEZ expansion.
“When I was first elected, evidence showed it would take 193 years to bring London’s air pollution within legal limits if the current efforts continued,” said Sadiq Khan, London Mayor.
“However, due to our transformative policies we are now close to achieving it this year. Today’s report shows that ULEZ works, driving down levels of pollution, taking old polluting cars off our roads and bringing cleaner air to millions more Londoners.
“The decision to expand the ULEZ was not something I took lightly, but this report shows it was the right one for the health of all Londoners. It has been crucial to protect the health of Londoners, support children’s lung growth, and reduce the risk of people developing asthma, lung cancer and a host of other health issues related to air pollution.
“With boroughs in outer London seeing some of the biggest reductions in harmful emissions and London’s deprived communities also seeing greater benefits, this report shows why expanding ULEZ London-wide was so important.
“Thanks to ULEZ and our other policies, all Londoners are now breathing substantially cleaner air – but there is still more to do, and I promise to keep taking action as we build a greener, fairer London for everyone.”
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.