London mayor under pressure to make some changes to new low emission zone

What do you think of the plans?

London mayor Sadiq Khan has been urged to go a little bit further with his plans for a low emission zone with black taxis being included and the zone being extended into Greater London.

He’s been accused of a “missed opportunity”. This is due to an exemption on the capitals 23,000 diesel cabs.

Recent Transport for London figures show that black cabs emit more than a quarter of PM10 particulates and 16 per cent of nitrogen oxides into the capital’s air.

The plans were announced by Khan last week, the first phase of the ULEZ will start on April 8 2019 in the central London congestion area.

Feryal Demirci, Hackney cabinet member for transport, would like to see the zone extended: “We do not feel that a zone which stops at the North and South Circular… is ambitious enough.”

Any cars or vans that breach new emission rules will be charged £12.50 a day. Buses, coaches and HGVs will all pay £100.

The Mayor is under pressure to get polluting cabs off the streets, he’s planning to award new licences only to ZEC (zero-emission capable) cabs from next January.

Meric Apak, Camden’s cabinet member for sustainability and environment, said: “It is a missed opportunity that black cabs continue to be exempt from the ULEZ charges.”

A spokesman for Khan said: “From 2018, all new black cabs will have to be zero-emission capable — plug-in electric vehicles. TfL is also providing £40m to help retire older black cabs more quickly.”