2. Air quality in London
Despite significant improvements in recent years, London's air pollution is still a concern and contributes to:
4,000 premature deaths in London annually (GLA health report, 2008)
50,000 deaths in the UK annually (UK Environmental Audit Committee, 2009)
Heavier diesel vehicles are a major source of air pollution that affects people with asthma, chest and heart conditions: it’s the poorest, the old, the very young and the sick that suffer most
Although air quality in London has improved over recent years, it remains a serious problem and London still does not meet a legal standards that limit air pollution . If we don’t get this right, the UK will be facing massive fines from the EU – up to £300 M
Its important as this has a real impact on our health. Road transport – particularly heavier diesel vehicles are a major source of air pollution that affects people with asthma, chest and heart conditions and it’s the poorest, the old , the very young and the sick who suffer most.
This is a key concern for Londoners and they want to see it improved – and organisations like the Asthma Society and the British Heart Foundation are big supporters of the LEZ because it is doing something tangible to tackle this problem.
The scheme hasn’t been introduced lightly. We have looked at alternatives to LEZ but there really is no other choice – this scheme is critical to delivering cuts in air pollution and is the least costly and least painful way to address a problem that has been allowed to go unchecked for far too long leaving this type of action as the only available way forward.

3. What is the LEZ?
Environmental zone covering Greater London (1,580 square kilometres)
Encourages the most individually polluting vehicles driving in London to become cleaner
Operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year
Introduced in In January 2012 more vehicles were included and standards were tightened
Vehicles need to meet the specified emission standard for Particulate Matter (PM) or pay a substantial daily charge to drive within the LEZ

4. Vehicles affected by the LEZ
HGVs >12t (N3)
Feb 2008 Euro III
Jan 2012 Euro IV
for particulates
Heavy diesel-engine vehicles
Greater than 12000kgs
Includes:
Goods vehicles
Motor caravans
Motorised horseboxes
HGVs 3.5t>12t (N2)
July 2008 Euro III
between 3,500kg and 12,000kg
Buses & Coaches (M3)
Heavy diesel-engine passenger vehicles
below 5,000kg
Vehicles with more than eight seats, plus the driver’s seat
Large vans (N1 class II and III)
Jan 2012 Euro III
Diesel-engine vehicles
between 1,205kg unladen and 3,500kg
Ambulances
Pick ups
Minibuses (M2)
Diesel-engine passenger vehicles
Vehicles with less than eight seats, plus the driver’s seat
There are very high daily charges and penalty charges set for vehicles that don’t meet the LEZ standards
You can drive vehicles into the zone that does not meet the standards but you will be asked to pay a charge of £100 or £200 pounds
If you do not do this you run the rick of being issued with a penalty charge notice at £1000 or £500.
The charges have been set deliberately high as we don’t actually want anyone to pay TfL anything. We have been very successful in not generating income from 2008 because we have everyone meeting the current standards.

5. LEZ compliance Phases 3 and 4
The good news is that since the new LEZ standards launched in January 2012 have seen a massive shift in the standard of vehicles driving in London.
Some 98% of vans and minibuses seen driving in the zone now meet the new emissions standards (Euro 3 for PM)
Some 90% of lorries, buses and coaches seen driving in the zone now meet the new emissions standards (Euro IV for PM)

6. LEZ Impacts: reducing emissions
Since its introduction in 2008, LEZ has had a real impact on pollution saving 28 tonnes of particulate matter (PM) which is equal to saving:
127 million km driven by a Euro III articulated vehicle, or
160 return trips to the moon, or
approximately 677,000 times around the M25!
LEZ reduces pollution at the roadside – where the pollution is concentrated and targets the kind of pollution – fine particles, which are most hazardous to health
It has given children with chest complaints over 12,000 days free from suffering symptoms and adults almost 18,000 days
In terms of concentrations of key pollutants in the atmosphere, LEZ targets the reductions in pollution where it is needed most – at the roadside where pollution is heaviest (because a lot of it comes from diesel engine vehicles).
LEZ also targets the most toxic portion of particulate matter – the kind of soot that has the most serious impact on health – the finer particles of soot. Black carbon is a marker in urban areas for finer particles from road vehicle exhaust (i.e. where you find black carbon, you also find fine soot particles). At roadside sites with heavy goods vehicle flows there have been significant reductions of this pollutant at the road - of between 40 and 50 per cent have occurred over the period 2006 to LEZ is delivering a clean up of the worst pollution where it is needed most.
Health Benefits for Any questions:
Benefits for LEZ changes in 2012 combined is estimated at between £45m - £100m (Defra methodology) and £70m – £270m (EU methodology which takes into account a wider range of health benefits).
Since 2008 the LEZ has saved:
Reduction in PM10 exhaust emissions of 3.6% (28 tonnes)
Reduction in PM 2.5 exhaust emissions of 3.7% (26 tonnes)
Reduction in NOx emissions of 2% (529 tonnes)
By including vans and minibuses the scheme is estimated to save children with chest complaints over 12,000 days of illness, and adults almost 18,000 days – this is from the last consultation (supplementary info)
Info on Moon stat: total savings of 28 tonnes - this is equivalent to 127 million kms NOT being driven by a Euro III artic HGV (28-34tonnes) at 30km/hr. - the equivalent distance to around 160 return trips to the moon.

7. Lessons from LEZ
Integrated operator information and stakeholder engagement strategy key to ensure high levels of compliance
Public information for operators affected by the scheme changes is key
Early engagement with key external stakeholders to ensure compliance options/intentions are well understood
Political backing essential

8. Ultra Low Emission Zone

9. ULEZ same as the CC zone: operational from 2020
ULEZ will cover central London only as this is the area with the greatest exposure to poor air quality and the area in which road transport emissions may be most effectively tackled. As air quality issues persist throughout the day the scheme will operate 24/7.
Central London also has the advantage of already being established and understood for a road user charging scheme owing to the Congestion Charge, and much of the infrastructure is already in place. In this way costs

10. Vehicle types Exempt 24/7 Euro 6 (<6yrs old in 2020)
... or £100 a day
Euro 4 petrol (<13-14yrs old in 2020)
Euro 6 diesel (<4-5yrs old in 2020)
... or £12.50 a day
Exempt
Euro 3 (<13yrs old in 2020)
... or £12.50 a day
The scheme was signed off by the Mayor in March this year and will come into force in 2020
Where vehicles don’t meet the standards a daily charge will be incurred - £12.50 for smaller vehicles or £100 for HGVs and coaches

11. ULEZ challenges
Many vehicles enter central London over any given year:
Options available to operators include:
Buying a new or compliant second-hand vehicle
Leasing/hiring a new compliant vehicle
Reorganising fleet so only compliant vehicles travel in ULEZ
Paying daily charge
5,000,000
40,000
660,000
116,000

12. TfL’s Low Emission Commercial Vehicle (LECV) programme
Stimulate the low, ultra low and near zero emission commercial vehicle market
Inform operator purchasing decisions helping industry prepare for ULEZ, accelerating its impact
Coordinate existing funded projects to maximise their outputs and impact
Improve industry image and promote sustainable fleet transport
For further information contact:

13. ULEZ will drastically reduce vehicle emissions
Full ULEZ package will reduce total vehicle emissions of:
NOx by 51%
PM10 / PM2.5 64%
and CO2 by 15% in central London
Breakdown of NOx savings according to vehicle type ...

14. Future standards and expansion
Starting point with ULEZ was to ensure petrol/diesel fleet is as clean as possible
ULEZ proposal does not preclude taking things further in future
Our analysis concluded that a ‘zero emission capable’ ULEZ standard is unlikely to be workable for all vehicles in 2020 and this might be more appropriate at a later date
It is feasible in principle for zone to be extended in future. This would entail extensive social and economic effects and needs to be carefully evaluated, alongside another consultation

15. Stakeholder & Partnerships Manager
Heather Watkinson
Stakeholder & Partnerships Manager