Forum Topic

uLEZ non-compliant cars - figures

Interesting tweet from BBC's Tom Edwards reporting what the RAC have said.If true this will have a huge impact.These figures should have been in the public domain months ago!Why so little transparency on basic facts?"NEW: RAC says number of uLEZ non-compliant cars in Greater London is 700k. Tfl said yesterday 90% of moving cars in Outer London compliant (less than 160k). Why the difference? 700k is DVLA registered vehicles across capital- Tfl 90% figure is moving vehicles using LEZ cameras.There are 2.6m registered cars in London. So a/c RAC about 1 in 3 in London are non-compliant. That seems a very high number when you look at reg plates? Or are there 100,000s of occasional cars you hardly ever see ?"https://twitter.com/BBCTomEdwards/status/1639200226975133697?s=20

Ed Robinson ● 1046d10 Comments

You're right.  They will just move further out and onto the second hand market.  Are there a greater number of cars owned in the cities or just a greater number of cars travelling in the cities?  I remember a friend moving out of London to Surrey because of asthma but finding that there was a problem where they moved because of the topography. It's all a bit of a Catch 22.  You can't use public transport if it isn't there.  It can't be afforded if it isn't used and who knows where everybody want to go?  I really miss www.fixmytransport.com!  The TfL website is good  and I'm always finding something new on there.I continue to maintain that Demand Response Transport is a good idea (which I guess in a way is the smaller buses that Ed puts forward).Making transport accessible is just so important so that you are not immediately unable to use any of it the moment you have any mobility problem - whether a sprained ankle or anything longterm. Hospital transport is also important - but they may not take anyone accompanying.If only Blue Badges weren't supposedly the subject of so much abuse and misuse they are good.  I still think that everyone who is eligible for one of these should make the effort to get one before it gets even more difficult for them especially when it makes it easier for your friends and family to give you a lift somewhere whether hospital appointments or social occasions.  However we found that there were never enough disabled parking, drop off spaces or seating and wheelchairs outside or just inside hospitals!  The number of times I had to walk numbers of whole hospital floors looking for wheelchairs is unbelievable!  It took two of us to make hospital trips.  One to drive and the other to accompany.We found it hard to get a Blue Badge because of getting all the documentation needed lined up despite the fact that it says that if you are registered blind you are automatically entitled to one.

Philippa Bond ● 1044d

" those living there should be campaigning for better public transport?"Many do Michael. Suburban rail link are great for getting to Central London but not necessarily across.Other cities also want London levels of subsidies and it is quite right that subsidies need to be shared out more evenly than they have been in the past. There is no excuse for not making more information available - as the BBC states the Mayor's figures on compliant vehicles are not supported by the evidence. There is an unnecessarily level of secrecy in the UK. Both major parties have a history of suppressing truth should we be surprised that it is not only at national level?

Ed Robinson ● 1044d

I think the metrics are more complicated than that. Aside from Greater London statistics on compliant cars and TfL's diminishing public transport at its boundaries in some locations there's also those living outside of Greater London but neighbouring it. Their public transport might be worse than London's unless they're on a suburban rail link, and it might be difficult for London's Mayor to compile data on those locations?Given that if measures to curtail pollution, control climate change and alleviate congestion mean that driving will become more expensive and restricted perhaps those living there should be campaigning for better public transport?

Michael Ixer ● 1044d

"Let's hope this change gets the worst polluting off the road"They will only come off the road if they are scrapped - otherwise they will go onto the second hand market out of London for a very low price.Considering there is a shortage of compliant, and even new cars, I do not know what percentage will be "off the road" - no figure has been published as far as I'm aware.Basic information such as the number of impacted vehicles hasn't been disclosed, which means more detailed questions and not being answered.In Putney we are very lucky we have train, tube, river bus, Santander Bikes and lots of Buses. Not all parts of outer London are so lucky. There also seems to be a lack of any plan to expand public transport to the same level that we can enjoy.If we do not know the number, who has these cars, where they live, why and where they are travelling to, how frequently etc - how can we hope to replace them with public transport?Effectively we could have the situation where outer London poorer households are subsidising even more inner london public transport.

Ed Robinson ● 1044d

Apparently lots of cars are Euro 6 compliant for which I understand you will need a Certificate of Conformity in order to comply with the regulations. Let's hope this change gets the worst polluting off the road.

Philippa Bond ● 1044d

The BBC have a interesting page."85% of vehicles are already ULEZ compliantThe BBC is waiting for further data from TfL and the mayor to verify this claim fully.So the 85% claim of compliance for vehicles owned and driven in outer London does not seem to be supported by the available evidence."https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-64798395

Ed Robinson ● 1046d

It would have been more useful and appropriate, if Lyes had said: "Cleaning up London's air should undoubtedly be a priority, but the sheer number of vehicles that don't meet ULEZ emissions standards in Greater London suggests the seriousness of the pollution and global heating problems."

Richard Carter ● 1046d

In a democracy transparency is key.These are basic facts that should be in the public domain.The figures impact the scrappage scheme and give an indication of how many people/businesses & families are impacted."However, the mayor's office disputed the RAC's figures ..'Yet they did not supply any figures.Nicholas Lyes, head of roads policy at the RAC, said: "Cleaning up London's air should undoubtedly be a priority, but the sheer number of vehicles that don't meet ULEZ emissions standards in Greater London suggests there will be a massive financial impact on motorists and businesses."

Ed Robinson ● 1046d

I'm not sure it is so significant: although the overall figures may not have been known, anyone can check the status of their own vehicle on the TfL website (https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/check-your-vehicle/).Of course, it may affect the money raised, that's true...

Richard Carter ● 1046d

"Almost 700,000 cars in London will not be Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) compliant when the scheme expands, according to new analysis from the RAC"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-65057890

Ed Robinson ● 1046d