When Labor narrowly lost the Uxbridge by-election result to the Conservatives last month, leader Sir Kier Starmer blamed Sadiq Khan and his controversial expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).
He said it was clear that ULEZ was the reason for his shock loss in Boris Johnson’s former seat and urged London’s mayor to “reflect” on his plans to expand the area in August.
However, exclusive data shared with This is Money suggests that more than three quarters of cars registered in the West London borough are ULEZ compliant and would see drivers avoid the £12.50 per day charge.
How many cars in Uxbridge will not be charged ULEZ? Following Labor’s loss in the recent by-electric, which Kier Starmer blamed on Sadiq Khan’s sprawling area, we reveal how many engines in the west London borough meet
Speaking shortly after the confirmation of the Uxbridge by-election result, Starmer said: “We know that [was the reason for defeat]. We hear it at the gates. And we all have to reflect on that, including the mayor.
Asked what he meant by Khan needing to “reflect” on expanding the zone, Sir Keir said: “We have to see the outcome.” The mayor needs to reflect. And it’s too early to say what should happen next.
But new data shows that fewer than one in four motorists in Uxbridge will be affected by the zone’s expansion on August 29.
In fact, research from automotive data experts at cap hpi shows that motorists are already making greener choices in the west London borough long before an expansion to cover all 32 boroughs, including the Hillingdon borough, was announced. at Uxbridge.
Caphpi said it has examined the city’s car fleet data using figures from the Vehicle and Driver Licensing Agency and ‘additional data sources from across the industry’ to identify how many vehicles will be mined by ULEZ later this year. month.
It found that the number of non-compliant vehicles dropped from 33 percent in 2020 to just 23.3 percent in 2023.
More than three quarters (76.7%) of all cars registered in Uxbridge are now ULEZ compliant, according to data obtained by cap hpi
In fact, the city has seen a recent increase in transitions to ‘electrified’ vehicles.
The data shows that the number of pure electric cars increased from 2,600 to 9,800 over the three-year period.
Hybrid vehicles also increased from 10,700 in 2020 to 21,600 in 2023.
And the statistics show clear evidence that city drivers are rapidly ditching diesel vehicles, with an overall decline from 92,600 in 2020 to 79,400 this year.
That means diesel engines make up 31.5% of all engines registered in Uxbridge today, up from 38% three years earlier.
And the number of new cars has also increased.
Just 7,700 city-registered vehicles were between two and four years old in 2020, but that number rose to 18,700 this year. All of these cars will be ULEZ compliant as they meet the latest Euro 6 emissions standard.
The data also shows that the number of pure electric cars registered in Uxbridge rose from 2,600 in 2020 to 9,800 in 2023 ahead of the ULEZ expansion later this month.
Mark Turnbull, global head of consultancy at cap hpi, said: “It is essential that motorists, along with local and national government, have the accurate information they need to make decisions about clean air zones.”
“Overall, it is clear that passenger vehicles have become greener in Uxbridge over the past three years, and the data suggests this is likely to continue.”
While drivers in Uxbridge appear to have been gradually switching to ‘greener’ cars, data shows that the move to low-emission vans has been noticeably slower.
In 2020, 63.2% of vans (around 15,100) were non-compliant; today, the number has fallen to 44.6 percent of noncompliant commercial vehicles (11,000).
The slower turnaround is attributed to there being “fewer all-electric pickup options” compared to battery-only cars.
The report comes a few days after Sadiq Khan confirmed that it will extend to eligibility for the ULEZ Scrapping Scheme, which was introduced to encourage drivers to dispose of their non-compliant cars on the offer of £2,000 to cover the cost of a compliant replacement vehicle. with ULEZ standards.
The mayor initially drew £110m from City Council reserves for the scheme, which had originally only been offered to those on benefits.
But to widen the pool and allow all Londoners with non-compliant cars to apply for the grant, he is willing to spend another £50m.
The Mayor of London said: “I am not prepared to back down, delay or dilute green policies like ULEZ, which will not only save lives and protect children’s lungs by cleaning up polluted air, but will also help us fight pollution. climate crisis”.
I have continued to listen to the concerns of Londoners in recent months and today [Friday 4 August] I can announce a major expansion of the scrapping scheme, meaning all Londoners with non-ULEZ compliant cars will now be able to get financial support to switch to greener, less polluting vehicles.
‘As we continue to build a greener and healthier London for all, I am determined that no Londoner and no London business is left behind.
‘We need to take people with us on the path to a sustainable future. We are making sure help is now available to everyone, and I urge Londoners to come get it.”
Engines you can scrap for the grant include motorcycles, motorized trikes and quadricycles, cars, trucks, and wheelchair-accessible engines. They also must not comply with ULEZ.
To receive the subsidy, your vehicle must have been registered with the DVLA on or before January 30, 2022.
The vehicle must also be registered in your name or in the name of another person residing in your place of residence.
ITV, insurance and valid road tax are boxes that must be ticked if Londoners want to receive the four-figure grant.
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