London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Transport for London (TfL) have been criticised for making "significant alterations" to the city's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) vehicle scrappage scheme without properly informing the public.
What Changes Were Made to the ULEZ Scheme?
The scheme, which ran from 30 January 2023 to 8 September 2024, offered drivers financial incentives to scrap older, more polluting vehicles. Eligible applicants could receive up to £2,000 for a car and up to £7,000 for a van or minibus owned by a small business.
However, a report by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman revealed that TfL began rejecting applications from vehicles with unpaid penalty charge notices (PCNs). Crucially, this new rule was not included in the originally published criteria for the scheme, meaning applicants were not alerted to the change.
Ombudsman's Findings and TfL's Response
While the Ombudsman, Amerdeep Clarke, acknowledged TfL's reasons for updating the scheme, she stated that the failure to communicate clearly was a serious issue. "Failing to clearly communicate these changes to potential applicants does not reflect the core principles of fair, transparent and honest public service," Clarke said.
The report highlighted that this lack of transparency led to members of the public wasting time on applications that were destined to be rejected. TfL has accepted all the Ombudsman's recommendations, which include a commitment to publish any future updates to such schemes prominently on its website.
The Impact and Purpose of ULEZ
Despite the controversy, the scrappage scheme was successful in removing an estimated 50,000 non-compliant cars from London's roads. Mayor Sadiq Khan defended the policy's intent, stating, "This is about supporting Londoners to have cleaner air. No level of air pollution is safe, and that's why we have to make more progress. Ulez is not about raising money for TfL."
To drive within the ULEZ zone without charge, vehicles must generally meet the Euro 6 emissions standard, which applies to most cars registered after September 2015. Non-compliant vehicles face a daily charge of £12.
The Ombudsman concluded by welcoming TfL's pledge to improve transparency, ensuring residents are properly informed before any future scheme changes take effect.
