This Ultra Low Emission Zone Has Sharply Slashed Toxic Emissions

Following the expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), England’s capital has seen a 27% decline in toxic gas emissions, thus improving the air quality of a larger portion of the iconic city.

“The decision to expand the ULEZ was not something I took lightly, but this report shows it was the right one for the health of all Londoners,” explains London’s mayor Sadiq Khan.

First introduced in 2019, the ULEZ imposed a levy on the most polluting vehicles within the city’s clean air zone. It was expanded in August 2023, bringing an extra five million people into the scope of the daily charge of $16.14 for those who drive older and more polluting vehicles. According to a recent report, which analyzed how the ULEZ affected emissions in the city a year after its expansion, the levels of nitrogen dioxide – formed from gases emitted by car engines burning fuel – dropped by 27%, thus reducing the effect of the toxic gas on the development of asthma, the delay in children’s lung development, and the increase in the risk of lung cancer.