The expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in London has sparked controversy and led to various claims about the charging scheme. The Conservative party has used it as a political tool against the Labour party and Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. Sky News has examined some of the claims made about the ULEZ.
One claim suggests that the cost of ULEZ will be passed on to customers of tradespeople from outside London. Steve Tuckwell, Conservative MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, argued that tradespeople like builders and gardeners will transfer the ULEZ cost to people in Greater London who are now within the zone. However, sole traders and employees can claim tax relief on the ULEZ charge if they are traveling for work. The amount of money saved will depend on various factors, so it is not necessary for customers to bear the full £12.50 cost if workers use non-compliant vehicles. Nevertheless, there may still be a possibility of increased prices to compensate for the ULEZ cost.
Another claim suggests that ULEZ will only have a minor to negligible effect on air quality. Transport Secretary Mark Harper stated that the ULEZ expansion will have a minor impact on meeting air quality targets, according to an impact assessment conducted for and provided to Mayor Sadiq Khan. The assessment indicated that the proposed expansion would have a minor impact on meeting nitrogen dioxide targets set by the World Health Organization (WHO), and a negligible impact on fine particulate (PM2.5) targets. However, the assessment also mentioned that there could be a moderate improvement in nitrogen oxides overall, and a minor improvement in PM2.5 and slightly larger particulates (PM10) when considered as a whole.
Claims have also circulated regarding exemptions for visits to places of worship in relation to ULEZ charges. Full Fact, a fact-checking organization, evaluated these claims and found that they were untrue. Although a temporary exemption was in place until 26 October 2025 for minibuses used by not-for-profit organizations for community transport, including transport to places of worship, it did not apply to all visits to places of worship.
There were allegations that the government forced Mayor Sadiq Khan to expand the ULEZ. This stemmed from a letter sent by then Transport Secretary Grant Shapps to Mayor Khan in 2020. However, both the Department for Transport and the Mayor’s office confirmed that the letter did not constitute an order to expand the ULEZ throughout all of Greater London. The government was referring to the expansion of the ULEZ to the North and South circulars, which occurred in October 2021. Although the government proposed expanding the size of the Congestion Charge zone, this proposal was later dropped.