A new net-zero by 2030 report, commissioned by the Mayor outlines the bold action required to reduce air pollution, tackle the climate emergency and cut congestion in the capital to create a greener, healthier city fit for the future.
The new report states that in order to meet the climate change targets, car traffic must reduce by at least 27 per cent in London by the end of the decade – more than a third of car trips made by Londoners could be walked in under 25 minutes and two thirds could be cycled in under 20 minutes. The report sets out that to achieve the necessary reduction in car use and related emissions, London will need a new kind of smart road user charging system implemented. To this end, the Mayor has asked Transport for London to start exploring how such a scheme could be developed. The potential schemes under consideration are:
- Further extending the ULEZ to tackle more of the dirtiest vehicles: extending the current zone to cover the whole of Greater London, using the current charge level and emissions standards
- Modifying the ULEZ to make it even more impactful in reducing emissions: extending the current zone to cover the whole of Greater London and adding a small clean air charge for all but the cleanest vehicles
- A small clean air charge: a low-level daily charge across all of Greater London for all but the cleanest vehicles. This would nudge behaviour, reducing short car journeys
- Introducing a Greater London boundary charge, which would charge a small fee to non-London registered vehicles entering Greater London. This responds to the increase in cars from outside London travelling into the city seen in recent years
Mayor has said the cost of inaction to our economy, livelihoods, the environment and the health of Londoners would be far greater than the cost of reducing carbon emissions and air pollution.
Read the full press release here
