The High Court has upheld the decision of Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, to extend the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to cover almost all of the Greater London boundary. The ruling confirmed that the process of expansion, including the public consultation, was legally sound and thorough.
The ULEZ, an initiative to reduce air pollution by deterring the use of the high-emission vehicles, will now include approximately five million more Londoners, in addition to the four million who are already part of the existing zone. Despite the expansion, most residents will not face any additional charges as it’s estimated that nine out of ten cars in outer London are already ULEZ compliant.
The court case was initiated by four London boroughs (Bexley, Bromley, Harrow and Hillingdon) and Surrey County Council, which contested the expansion. They were permitted by the court to argue three out of the five grounds in their original claim; however, the judge rejected all three, ruling in favour of the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL)
The judge concluded that the consultation materials provided sufficient information for the public to make informed responses
to the proposals. He also ruled that there was no obligation on the Mayor to mitigate the impacts of the scheme with a vehicle scrappage scheme or compensation, though he approved of the Mayor’s decision to provide £110 million for scrappage support.
The case has drawn criticism due to the estimated £1 million of public funds spent by the councils on the lawsuit. Mayor Khan has been critical of this expenditure, stating that the money could have been better spent on services like free school meals.
Since taking office, Mayor Khan has prioritized tackling London’s toxic air, given the associated health risks including asthma, cancer, heart disease, and dementia. About 4,000 Londoners reportedly die each year due to air pollution-related causes.
To aid those with non-compliant vehicles, the Mayor introduced a £110 million scrappage scheme to support low-income families, disabled residents, and small businesses. The scheme has now been expanded further to include every family in London receiving child benefit and every small business, providing financial support to replace non-compliant vehicles. As of June 2023, there was still £68 million available from this fund.
The ULEZ expansion is expected to significantly increase the number of Londoners benefiting from cleaner air.