A fleet of non-Ulez compliant vehicles has arrived in Ukraine after being donated by Britons in the latest scrappage scheme change.
The scheme, which is funded by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, offers drivers money in exchange for donating their non-Ulez-compliant vehicle to Ukraine, rather than scrapping or retrofitting it.
The vehicles were sent over through British-Ukrainian Aid, a charity which helps distribute them for humanitarian and medical purposes.
In total, more than 100 vehicles have been donated to Ukraine through the programme since from March 15.
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Humanitarian aid vehicles arrive in Ukraine
Nick Turpin/TFL/PA Wire
Later this month, a further 13 vehicles are expected to arrive in the Eastern European country.
The £160million scheme sees drivers in London receive a grant of up to £2,000 in compensation for sending a car or up to £1,000 for a motorcycle that doesn't comply with Ulez rules to Ukraine.
As for wheelchair accessible vehicles, there is a payment of £10,000 available to scrap or £6,000 to retrofit to the Ulez standards.
However, the scheme has been criticised by Londoners who accused the Mayor of sending “dirty” cars to Ukraine.
One user shared on Facebook: “So these cars aren’t environmentally fit for British roads and air.
“But they’re perfectly good enough to pollute the air in Ukraine. Either these cars are unfit for use or they’re not.
“You can spew your environmental crap Britain and not bother with it anywhere else.”
The Ulez area was expanded across London to include the whole of the capital in August last year, cracking down heavily on making it pollution-free.
Currently, people who drive in the Ultra Low Emission Zone with a non-compliant vehicle must pay the standard£12.50 daily fee.
A BUAID spokesperson said: “We remain enormously grateful for the support given to us by the Mayors of London and Kyiv, and by our many partners, supporters and donors.
“Vehicles that would have gone to scrap are saving lives in Ukraine, and we know that every one of them is valued and valuable.
“It is great to see people showing the Dunkirk spirit that Churchill talked about in World War Two, making transport available to those under threat from a ruthless enemy.”
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More than 100 scrapped vehicles have already been sent to Ukraine
Nick Turpin/TFL/PA Wire
Lucy Hayward-Speight, TfL’s head of transport strategy and planning, added that the scrappage scheme has provided support for people to make the green transition alongside the London-wide Ulez being introduced.
As well as helping to clean up the “capital’s toxic air”, Hayward-Speight explained how Londoners are also demonstrating their concern for others by “choosing to provide vital aid for those in the most unimaginable circumstances in Ukraine”.
