‘HOW DO London Tradespeople Get Any Work Done?’ That’s the question being asked as London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) is set to expand from August.

Following the expansion plan being challenged in a Judicial Review in the High Court starting today, and the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) has called for a 12-month delay.

A delay would allow tradespeople and building businesses extra time to make the switch to having ULEZ-compliant vehicles, the BMF says. Currently tradespeople working in inner London are forced to pay £12.50 every day they drive into the zone with a £160 fine for those who don’t pay.

Ultra Low Emissions Zone

Five Conservative-led councils – Bexley, Bromley, Harrow, Hillingdon and Surrey are challenging the plan to extend the ULEZ to outer London.

Tradespeople are set to be among those worst hit by the expanded zone. Research from the Federation of Master Builders has shown that increases to transportation costs, such as rising parking fees over the last 18 months has already forced 80% of tradespeople working in London to increase their prices.

Steep parking fee rises, and green motoring charges force roofers and builders in London to spend £70 on average before they even arrive at their sites. Combined with a 20-mph speed limit, meaning trades’ vans crawling along at a snail’s pace to get to work sites, working in the Capital is becoming increasingly unprofitable.

Almost a quarter of tradespeople say it is too expensive to use their van or vehicle for work due to the cost of driving into London, according to Fix radio station.

Scrappage Fund

To combat increasing costs for tradespeople as a result of the ULEZ expansion, a £110m scrappage scheme was launched to help fund the purchase of new vehicles that are ULEZ-compliant.

Under the new scrappage fund, sole traders and tradespeople working for a micro-business (those with 10 employees and under) can get grants of between £5,000-£9,000 to help transition to a low-polluting or EV vehicle.

However, this is a drop in the ocean compared to the real cost of replacing a work van for most tradespeople. The electric version of the popular Ford Transit van starts at cost of £48,000 for its most basic model. Even a basic diesel version starts at £37,000.

Transport for London estimates there are around 30,000 non-ULEZ-compliant vans in the London zone every day, which also raises questions about whether there are sufficient ULEZ compliant vans available for purchase.

Sadiq Khan, London Mayor

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said, “Each year, air pollution causes thousands of Londoners to die prematurely and develop life-changing illnesses like cancer, lung disease, dementia and asthma. That’s why we are taking action now.

“The Ultra Low Emission Zone is expanding across all London boroughs on 29 August 2023, bringing clean air to 5 million more people.

“More than four out of five drivers in outer London won’t be affected. For those who are, the Mayor of London has launched a £110 million scrappage scheme to help eligible Londoners prepare for the expansion.”

 

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