Ultra low emissions zone expansion cut London pollutants by up to 26% – study

(The Guardian, 10 Feb 2023) Findings of lower diesel and PM2.5 emissions may fortify mayor as he extends scheme across whole city.

The initial expansion of London’s ultra low emissions zone (Ulez) for motor vehicles has brought notable benefits in reducing pollution, a study has found as the mayor prepares for a big extension to its boundaries.

The report by officials at the Greater London authority and Transport for London could help Sadiq Khan counter a political backlash to the imminent further expansion.

The report has been peer-reviewed by Dr Gary Fuller, an expert on urban pollution at Imperial College London. It calculated that since the zone was introduced four years ago, emissions of toxic nitrogen oxides, or NOx, particularly produced by diesel engines, are 23% lower across London as a whole compared with what would be their estimated level if the scheme had not been introduced, and 26% lower within the zone.

Using the same metric, emissions of dangerous fine particulate matter, or PM2.5s, were calculated to be 19% lower than they would have been without the Ulez within its boundaries, and 7% lower across the whole city.

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The Guardian, 10 Feb 2023: Ultra low emissions zone expansion cut London pollutants by up to 26% – study