ULEZ: Scrappage Scheme

Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM moved, and Hina Bokhari AM seconded the following motion:

“This Assembly supports clean air for Londoners and believes that the Ultra Low Emission Zone is needed without delay to tackle air pollution in London, bringing essential public health improvements.

This Assembly notes that the Mayor’s expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) into Outer London, where amenities are spread out and public transport is more limited, will cause some hardship for a minority of people and businesses and charities. This Assembly welcomes the Mayor’s accompanying support for the expansion, including the £110 million scrappage scheme and the expansion of the bus network.

This Assembly notes that the Government have provided no additional support, despite doing so for other cities like Birmingham (£10m) and Bristol (£42m) and Portsmouth which have taken similar measures.

This Assembly notes that on 1 June 2023 the Mayor announced a partial widening of the eligibility criteria for the ULEZ scrappage scheme without increasing the pot of money available. As of 25 June 2023, almost 9,000 applications have been approved and £32.8.9 million of the £110 million scrappage scheme had been committed.

This Assembly believes that this take-up rate is too low, and welcomes the commitment from the Mayor that the scrappage scheme funding and eligibility will be kept under review.

This Assembly calls on the Mayor to:

• Double the pot of money available for the ULEZ scrappage scheme if there is a justified, evidence based, non-arbitrary case for doing so.
• Review the impact of increasing inflation on the cost of ULEZ compliant cars and increase the maximum payments available under the scrappage scheme if evidence shows it is necessary.
• Widen access to the scrappage scheme, while ensuring any new criteria mean that the scheme continues to be targeted to those that need it most.

Continue to lobby the Government to provide financial support towards the scrappage scheme.”

Following debate and upon being put to a vote, the motion was agreed with 14 votes being cast in favour, and 6 votes being cast against.