One year later, London’s climate mandate proves a disappointment
Thursday marked the one-year anniversary of London’s ULEZ climate mandate, a scheme that has been largely ineffective in changing the climate but remains a financial boon for the city.
Strongly opposed by taxpayers
Ultra-Low Emission Zones (ULEZs) are areas in London that are accessible only to low-emission vehicles. Cars not meeting the city’s environmental standards are charged £12.50 ($16.40) for entering the ULEZ. Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras positioned around the zones read license plates and check them against the vehicles’ make and model in real-time. If a vehicle does not meet the environmental threshold, the fine is levied against the car owner. Failure to pay can lead to fines as high as £258 ($338.30).
Since it was first introduced, the ULEZ mandate has met with fierce resistance from taxpayers. Londoners have responded to the law with protests, hunger strikes, and refusal to pay fines. A vigilante group calling itself the Blade Runners has launched a feud with the city by disabling hundreds of ULEZ cameras, much to the delight of London’s residents.
Nevertheless, on August 29, 2023, ULEZs were expanded to all of London’s 32 boroughs, including outer London where public transportation is sparser.
One year later, the mandate has proved to be a disappointment.
Minimal impact on emissions but a major source of revenue
While the city reportedly collects £715,000 ($937,434) a day from drivers, its report from last month showed an approximate 4% maximum reduction in roadside nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations in outer London. The city claims dramatic impacts in air quality across England’s capital, but buried in the report is a disclaimer that these estimates are not factoring in the ULEZ mandate alone.
“The analysis for the ULEZ shows the impacts of not just the ULEZ and its expansions, but all of the Mayor’s policies to reduce emissions from transport, including those within the Mayor’s Transport Strategy,” the report said. “As such, it is not straightforward to isolate the impact of the ULEZ and its expansions. Therefore the analysis for the ULEZ can be seen to show the impacts of not just the ULEZ and its expansions, but of all the Mayor’s policies to reduce emissions from transport.”
The underwhelming figures closely match those in a previous report from the Imperial College of London. The report found that ULEZs cut nitrogen emissions by less than 3% and “had insignificant effects on ozone and particulate matter.”
When London Mayor Sadiq Khan found out about the report, his office tried to suppress it by blocking its release in news media.
City officials rake it in
The surge in revenue from the ULEZ mandate has no doubt helped offset the lavish pay raises being distributed around City Hall. In May, it was reported that Mayor Khan’s salary surpassed even then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s at £160,976 ($211,411) after receiving a £6,000 ($7,880) raise. At least 13 of Khan’s staff — including eight deputies — also received generous raises.
