Clean Air Zones and London's Ulez raise billions from hard-pressed petrol and diesel drivers being fined
Local councils have introduced new rules to charge drivers for having polluting cars
PA
Local authorities have raked in more than £1billion in fines and charges from emissions-based charging zones since they were first rolled out nationwide in 2019.
A Freedom for Information request discovered that since April 2019, the 10 Clean Air Zones and Low Emission Zones across the UK, including Ulez in London, have generated £1.04billion.
Emissions zones were first rolled out in 2019 across the UK headlined by London's Ultra Low Emission Zone, which has since been extended to encompass the majority of Greater London.
The FOI found that Transport for London has accumulated more than £226million in fees and fines since the expansion last August.
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Drivers have been fined through use of ANPR cameras around the UK
PAThere are Clean Air Zones in Bath, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Tyneside (Newcastle and Gateshead), as well as Low Emission Zones in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, and Oxford's Zero Emission Zone.
Notably, the Ulez scheme generated £875million of income between April 2019 when it was first introduced and June 2024.
Further research uncovered that between October 2021 and March 2023, when the Ulez was expanded to cover the North and South Circular roads, TfL raised £320million from driver fines.
Birmingham's Clean Air Zone brought home £125million between June 2021 and 2024, while the Bradford Clean Air Zone fined drivers £16.7million between 2022 and this year.
Bath slapped drivers with £15.2million worth of fines over the last three years while Tyneside's Clean Air Zone brought in £4.6million in just one year.
In the two years that it has been running, Oxford's Zero Emission Zone has raised £1.8million.
The zones across the UK have different criteria for charging vehicle entry. For example, the Ulez requires all diesel cars and vans to meet the latest Euro 6 emissions standards, and petrol models to meet Euro 4 standards.
The Bath Clean Air Zone allows private cars to enter the areas for free but non-compliant vans, HGVs and private hire vehicles are subject to charges.
In Scotland, the LEZs in Glasgow which came into force in June 2023, have already made £1.2million through penalties.
Eurig Druce, managing director of Peugeot UK, said: “As Low Emission Zones continue to expand across the UK, it is clear that the future of urban mobility lies in cleaner, more sustainable transportation.
“To mark one year since the ULEZ expansion, we have also enhanced offers on our electric vehicles, including up to an additional £900 saving for key workers - helping drivers avoid costly Ulez charges but also playing a vital role in reducing air pollution in our cities.”
Peugeot revealed it is offering an additional £900 saving for key workers such as NHS, emergency services employees and qualified teachers on electric car orders until the end of September.
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The Ulez was expanded on August 29 last year to include all of Greater London
PAA spokesperson for TfL told GB News: “The Ulez is not about making money. It will lead to cleaner air while generating ever smaller net revenues, as has been the case with the previous expansion to inner London where people switched to greener vehicles.
“Any net revenue received from Ulez is reinvested into running and improving London’s transport network, such as expanding bus routes in outer London.”