London Ultra Low Emission Zone will force over 1.6m to change cars or face RM67 per day charge – report

London Ultra Low Emission Zone will force over 1.6m to change cars or face RM67 per day charge – report

London will have a new Ultra Low Emission Zone charge that will be launched in 2021, and over 1.6 million motorists would have to change their cars to newer and cleaner ones to avoid the £12 (RM66.6) per day charge. This is according to the UK’s Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders, reported by Autocar.

The 1.6m figure estimated by the carmakers’ trade body (UK’s version of our MAA) is much bigger than that officially recognised by Transport for London (TfL). The SMMT says that 782,439 diesels and 858,018 petrols will be hit by the new rules, whereas TfL believes that just 321k diesels and 255k petrols will be affected. That makes 576k cars.

If SMMT’s figures are accurate, it will cause a major impact to Londoners and the city’s car population. In tune with the latest trend, the new rules are harder on diesels than petrols – Euro 0-5 diesels and Euro 0-3 petrols will have to pay the daily ULEZ charge. Euro 5 diesels aren’t smoky old cars – they might be 3.5 years old today and by 2021, the last of the EU5s will be just seven years old.

London Ultra Low Emission Zone will force over 1.6m to change cars or face RM67 per day charge – report

The report calculates that owners of petrol cars will be affected if they drive a pre-2005 model, the date Euro 4 started. Today, those cars are 12 years old. The car magazine also laments the fate of the “young classics”, as generations of enthusiast cars from the 80s, 90s and 2000s will become prohibitively expensive to run as daily drivers in the capital city.

Classic cars will be spared, hence the concern for “young classics”. Lobbying by the Federation of British Historical Vehicle Clubs mean that owners of historic cars will be exempted from the ULEZ. Historic cars are defined as 40 years old by the government, so by 2021, cars made before 1981 will be exempt.

All for greater good, the authorities say. “Urgent action is required to tackle London’s air quality crisis and reduce emissions from older more polluting vehicles. We are currently consulting on expanding the ULEZ, which would see a 71% reduction in schools in high pollution areas in 2021 – lowering the exposure of school children to harmful toxins that can reduce their lung development,” said Alex Williams, TfL’s director of city planning.

“We are not outlawing or banning any cars. There is still the option to use a car, but only after paying a £12 charge. Owners may just choose to use their vehicle less often,” a TfL spokesman said.

Owners of ‘young classics’ such as these will have to pay £12 per day to use their car in London come 2021

Autocar calculates that an owner who uses a “young classic” every day faces an annual bill of £4,380 (RM24,331), while an overnight trip away to Silverstone or Goodwood, for instance, will cost £24 (RM133) because the charge is applied on the journey out and back in over the weekend.

The ULEZ charge is in addition to the existing Congestion Charge (CC), which started out at £5 in 2003 and has steadily moved up – first to £8 in 2005, £10 in 2008 and £11.50 (RM63.8) in 2014. London’s ULEZ is just the start, with Birmingham, Manchester and Oxford earmarked for future implementation.

What if something like this was proposed for Kuala Lumpur, citing a needed improvement in our city’s air quality – will you be for or against the move? Me? I say first things first – those belching lorries (don’t they have tests to pass?) and noisy, white smoke-emitting two-stroke kapcais should be taken off the road. Implement existing regulations before making new ones.

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • sudonano on Feb 01, 2018 at 7:11 pm

    Must be implemented now..

    https://paultan.org/2017/01/16/kuala-lumpur-to-ban-kapchais-from-entering-city/

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 4
  • Public transports > all

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 6
  • rosdi on Feb 01, 2018 at 7:46 pm

    We should implement Electric Only Zone in some part of KL…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 4
    • KL has haze 24/7 because people keep chopping down trees and then act surprised at how bad the air quality is. Taxing cars is easy for the government because they don’t have to do any actual work themselves.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 9
      • Chopping of trees in Sarawak has nothing to do with air quality in KL. Problem is too many cars & motors.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 5
      • rally_fan (Member) on Feb 02, 2018 at 8:16 am

        so true… taxing cars is the easy way out.. while they continue to chop down tress, and overdevelop already high density areas…

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
        • Karam Singh on Feb 02, 2018 at 11:31 am

          Taxing cars are the easiest way to control the number of cars, as to what Singapore does with its COE program. Those who want to buy V reg plates (or KL) mark the price up 20k. In other places, lower the tax by 15%. The advantage of V plate is better access to city centre at all time when other plates would not be allowed or declined to enter.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 2
    • NxtGame on Feb 02, 2018 at 6:34 pm

      The reason of Hybrid and EVV cars are having less taxs due to government wants the people to used less fuels

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Kilumunati on Feb 01, 2018 at 8:55 pm

    Company make new car use natural resources vs old car emissions. Which is the worst? Why force people buy new car? So that they will lend money from bank and pay interest? And become sheep of illuminati and one seeing eyes? Say no to illuminati.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 1
  • awg1031 on Feb 01, 2018 at 9:24 pm

    to implement this in our city will be difficult as our cities are still developing..a lot of constructions are still going on which means unregulated lorry hantu, old lorry and heavy machines are still in use..definitely will be double standard if the regulation is just for motorist and not commercial vehicles

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
    • We need these lorries for the construction of more public transports.
      Public transports > all

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 4
  • Ban 2 strokes on what basis? Just because of white smoke? The bike emission, say a 150cc is still a lot less than a 1.0 litre engine car. Don’t be deceive by your eyes perception.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 11
    • BeemerFreak on Feb 02, 2018 at 7:16 am

      Strength is built in numbers, don’t be deceived by unit data

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • rally_fan (Member) on Feb 02, 2018 at 8:22 am

      because its a proven scientific fact that a 2 stroke engine is more polluting than a 4 stroke engine.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
      • it is proven for an engine of similar displacement. example is 150cc 2 stroke versus 150cc 4 stroke.

        but such bikes produce a lot less emission than cars. the focus should be on controlling the cars, like what London is doing instead of banning bikes alone. old cars more than 15 years old have really high emission level.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 5
  • Kimmy on Feb 01, 2018 at 10:53 pm

    Will only be launched in Malaysia year 2041.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • Hmm... Much Hmm... on Feb 02, 2018 at 2:35 am

      Not really, Based on HDI (human development index), more than half of Tier 1 countries hasn’t implemented rules like these, we are in Tier 2 (no. 59) so it’ll very likely take much longer than that.

      P.S. While SG is obviously high up in Tier 1 (no. 5), Brunei is also way above us in Tier 1 (no. 30). So it’s more likely Brunei will implement such rulings long before we would ever see the lights of it.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
      • Nasir ali on Feb 02, 2018 at 10:39 am

        Amazing SG placing so high up. MY merdeka way earlier bah

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
        • SG had much much better infrastructure when we parted. MY practically had to build new ports, airports, administrative facilities, commerce, transportations, finances, etc not to mention bringing development into isolated scarcely populated areas which SG dun need to spend for. And yet our parity now, is no longer so gaping as it once was and in fact closing, thanks to Gov.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 3
          • Then again Malaysia has much more resources which SG doesn’t like people and Oil so….

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Mohammad Hafiz Abdul Rahim on Feb 02, 2018 at 12:05 am

    in Malaysia, if a minister introduces drastic law like this, the next day it will be cancelled. Ring any bells?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
    • NxtGame on Feb 02, 2018 at 6:41 pm

      If drastic, it will cause people angry. That’s why the next day they will cancel. If the people no comments about it, the the project will continue.

      The problem in Malaysia is the mindset of the people’s. It gonna to take a long time to implement it.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Take care of lorries and buses that spit so much black first please. And next all carburetor cars must go. This will take care 70% of the problem already.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 0
  • It is not about the environment, it is about politicians need more £££.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • macam pondan on Feb 02, 2018 at 8:03 am

    can implement in KL provided

    1. all 2stroke kapchai are also banned
    2. gov raise fuel grade to latest Euro while keeping similar price range
    3. reduce car tax
    5. more and far reaching public transport

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 2
    • Point 3 and 5 r incongruous to each other, and point 3 is most definitely NOT the solution. Point 5 is.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
      • NxtGame on Feb 02, 2018 at 6:45 pm

        thats why government decreased tax on ‘Hybrid’ and ‘EVV’ cars. The reason is that government want to push this type of cars to reduce the fuel usage and less smoke

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • digidigi on Feb 02, 2018 at 9:02 am

    meanwhile here people are so proud of euro 5 diesel and beg so hard so diesel model to arrive

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Nurman on Feb 02, 2018 at 9:20 am

    in London no issue…. they got London Tube… more efficient than land transport

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Yet Londoners constantly complain on train delays and frequent breakdowns.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Malaysia also can do so with different implementation:- Ultra Low Accidents to force over Perodua to change cars or face RM50 per day charge

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
  • panjang on Feb 02, 2018 at 1:28 pm

    Imposing any charge is not the solution,its only containment.
    Its like saying you can pollute the air and we wont take action against you as long as you pay.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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