ULEZ: Khan expands vehicle scrappage grants to help London businesses cope
Sadiq Khan will extend grants to small businesses so they can replace vehicles which don’t meet emissions standards, ahead of August’s expansion of the controversial ULEZ scheme.
The London mayor intends to expand the £110m ‘scrappage scheme’ from the end of July, with “tens of thousands more Londoners” to benefit as the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) is rolled out in August.
The scrappage scheme currently offers grants for certain groups, such as those on low income, to scrap or retrofit vehicles that do not meet ULEZ emissions standards.
Under the new plans, this would extend to a range of small businesses and all London families receiving child benefit.
This comes after a swathe of criticism from within his own party and from leading London Tories criticising ULUZ for making driving in the capital more expensive.
Sadiq Khan said: “I completely understand the concerns of people who may not have a compliant vehicle and are worried about how they’ll make the transition.”
“We already have the biggest-ever scrappage scheme in place to support Londoners on low incomes, London based micro-businesses and charities and disabled Londoners. But I’ve listened to families and small businesses in outer London who want more support and I’m pleased to be able to announce today a major expansion to the scheme run by TfL to ensure we can help them.”
The announcements comes after a number of Labour MPs raised concerns over Khan’s plans to extend the ULEZ zone to all of London’s boroughs in August and called for a review of the scrappage scheme.
Ellie Reeves and Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, Labour MPs for for Lewisham West and Penge and Tooting, as well as Abena Oppong-Asare and Barry Gardiner, MPs for Erith and Thamesmead and Brent North have all written public letters to the mayor.
They were joined by Philip Glanville, the Labour Mayor of Hackney and Grace Williams, the Labour Leader of Waltham Forest Council have also called for a ULEZ rethink.
Those who will benefit under the reformed scrappage scheme include all Londoners receiving child benefit, businesses registered in London with fewer than 50 employees, and charities, who can scrap or retrofit a maximum of three vans or minibuses, as opposed to just one.
It will also allow for the introduction of a ‘grace period’ for sole traders, micro-businesses, small businesses and registered charities who have had deliveries of compliant vehicles delayed past August.
Richard Burge, Chief Executive of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “It is a positive step forward that a significant number of small businesses will now be included in the ULEZ vehicle scrappage scheme. “
“The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry support the call for action to improve air quality and save lives. We are looking forward to meeting the Deputy Mayor for Transport Seb Dance to discuss how to ensure SMEs can benefit and the support reaches those who need it.”
Five Tory-led councils have also launched a legal challenge against the expansion, with the High Court ruling in April that the local authorities could proceed on two grounds.
Tory mayoral hopefuls including Samuel Kasumu have also welcomed the changes to the scrappage scheme, but reiterated overall opposition to the controversial ULEZ policy.