The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) area has been expanded recently, this is to include most areas within the M25 and yes, that even includes the London Heathrow Drop-off Zone. Today we take a look at what ULEZ is, how to check your car meets the ULEZ guidelines and what cars we offer when it comes to being ULEZ compliant.
What is the Ultra Low Emission Zone?
In April 2019 the London ULEZ was introduced to help encourage drivers of high emission vehicles to avoid areas of central London. The original scheme was backed by Boris Johnson when he was the Mayor of London.
The original area covered roughly the same area as the Congestion Zone but from October 2021 the area was expanded to approx. 18 times the size of the congestion zone. It included everything within the North Circular (A406) and the South Circular (A205).
From August 2023, the zone expanded yet again. This time it included all the Boroughs of London, but not including the M25 itself. But if you nip into the ULEZ zone, even for a few minutes, you’ll need to pay.
What cars are exempt from ULEZ?
ULEZ is aimed at the older, higher polluting vehicles so here is a quick cheat sheet:
-
Petrol Cars: Euro 4 or Newer registered with the DVLA after 2006 -
Diesel Cars: Euro 6 or Newer registered with the DVLA after September 2005 -
Petrol Vans: Euro 4 Emission Standards or Newer -
Diesel Vans: Euro 6 Emission Standrds or Newer -
Vans, Lorries and HGV’s*: Those that weight more than 3.5 tonnes are exempt -
HGV’s over 12 tonnes in Greater London will need to display an HGV Safety Permit
When does ULEZ apply?
The London ULEZ charge applies 24 hours per day, every day of the year except Christmas Day (25th December).
How much is the ULEZ charge?
For vehicles that do not meet the current ULEZ compliance, you will need to pay a charge of £12.50 per day.
How do I pay the ULEZ charge?
Transport for London (TfL) offers a wide range of solutions to pay the ULEZ charge, which one you decide to use, will depend on the frequency of visits to London. These include:
TfL Website
You can pay a one-off charge for ULEZ or sign up and register for the Auto-pay system to take payment automatically everytime you enter the ULEZ zone. There is an annual administration payment of £10 per vehicle.
Fleet AutoPay
As per the Auto-Pay system but available to business customers with fleets of five or more vehicles. The system provides you login details and you can enter the cars individually or bulk upload.
TfL Pay Smartphone App
You can download the TfL Pay app from either the Apple App Store or the Google Pay Store for free, you can then purchase the ULEZ charge as you need it.
By Phone
You can call TfL to pay the ULEZ by calling 0343 222 2222, call charges will depend on your provider.
London Road User Charging Account
This allows you to use the Auto Pay system for up to 5 vehicles and enables you to pay the ULEZ charge automatically, you can also allow up to 5 users to share your account, ideal for families.
Do London residents get a discount on ULEZ?
There are no discounts or exemptions to those who live within the ULEZ zone, unless you qualify for an exemption.
This includes those who have disability vehicles. Check the website for more information using the links at the bottom of this article.
Do I have to pay the congestion charge as well?
Yes, if you enter both the ULEZ and the Congestion Charging Zones, you will need to pay for both.
What cars do we offer that are ULEZ compliant?
The good news is that all of the vehicles we offer are ULEZ compliant. As this is something we get asked all of the time by those living in London looking for car subscriptions and short-term leases, we thought we’d make it easier by displaying the new ULEZ COMPLIANT logo on the vehicles.
This will be displayed as per the below:
Download ULEZ Compliant Logo
You can use our ULEZ Compliant logo for free on your websites so long as you use the code below. This can be easily embedded on to your website and will link back to this article. We would ask that you do not make any alterations to the link or the image for it to remain free to use.
<a href="//cocoonvehicles.co.uk/what-is-ulez" title="“What" is target="“_blank”" rel="noopener"><img decoding="async" class="alignright" src="https://flexigocars.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/ulez-compliant-icon.webp" alt=“ULEZ COMPLIANT” height=“250” width=“250” /></a>
ULEZ Cars Available In-Stock
Audi
Q7 Estate
Audi
Q8 Estate
Land Rover
Discovery Sport SW
More Information
If you would like any further information abut ULEZ or the vehicles/services that we offer here at Cocoon Vehicles, please speak to the team on 01332 290173 or use the ENQUIRY FORM at the bottom of this article.
