ULEZ Explained
July 7, 2023
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I am sure you will have seen these 4 letters a lot on the news/social’s for probably a couple of years now, ULEZ.
First and foremost, what is ULEZ?
ULEZ stands for Ultra Low Emission Zone. It is an initiative implemented by the government to reduce air pollution and improve air quality in the cities. Under the ULEZ scheme, vehicles entering or driving within the zone need to meet specific emission standards to avoid paying a daily charge. The emission standards are based on the vehicle’s exhaust emissions of nitrogen oxides and vehicles that do not meet the required standards must pay a daily fee to enter the ULEZ.
So how does this fee affect you?
To put it simply, if you own a car/motorbike or small van you could be looking at £4,562.50 over a yearly period, as the daily charge is £12.50 in central London. This applies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and does not exclude any public holidays. There are no days off when it comes to ULEZ! If you are a HGV driver or Coach Driver/Bus Driver, this could be considerably higher in the region of £36,500 as the charge for this type of vehicle is £100 per day. (However, these fees would tend to be covered by the employer) It is also worth noting that these charges are in addition to the existing Congestion Charge which makes ULEZ a serious topic as it affects each and every one of us.
What to do if your current vehicle is not ULEZ Compliant?
Dealerships may accept non-compliant cars as part of a trade-in or part-exchange if they believe they can still sell the vehicle or if they can make necessary modifications or repairs to bring the vehicle into compliance. If you have a non-compliant car and are considering a part-exchange, it is probably best speaking to the dealership you are looking at your new car from, to ensure that they will accept the part-exchange. Motorly and our partners are happy completing this conversation for you to save you the time.
Final thoughts on ULEZ
If ULEZ works in the way, it is intended it should help to improve air quality which should then also benefit people’s health along with climate change benefits also to create a more sustainable urban environment for us all. The ULEZ serves as an important step towards achieving cleaner and greener cities. It is definitely worth checking whether your current vehicle or the new vehicle you are looking to finance is ULEZ compliant and Motorly and our partners are here to lend a hand if you have any questions or concerns about ULEZ regulations, exemptions, charges, or any other related topics.