95% of heavy vehicles complying with tighter LEZ standards

Ninety five per cent of heavy goods vehicles, buses and coaches in London now meet the strict Low Emission Zone standards, a new report by the Mayor of London shows.

The report shows that since stricter standards for the London-wide Low Emission Zone (LEZ) were introduced in March this year, the number of heavy vehicles complying has increased from 87 per cent to 95 per cent – and has almost doubled since the scheme was first announced in February 2017.

The LEZ covers most of Greater London and operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The scheme complements the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), a zone operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in which most vehicles need to meet the ULEZ emissions standards or their drivers must pay a daily charge to drive within the zone. On 25 October the ULEZ will be expanding up to, but not including, the North and South Circular Road. As part of the Mayor’s wide-ranging programme to improve London’s air quality, the Low Emission Zone standards were tightened to align with the ULEZ and encourage operators of the most polluting heavy diesel vehicles driving in the capital to switch to cleaner vehicles.

The report evaluates the impact of the new LEZ standards six-months on shows that, since the changes to the LEZ scheme were announced in March 2021, many large and small businesses, sole traders, charities and private owners of large and heavy vehicles have shifted to cleaner vehicles – improving air quality and benefitting Londoners’ health.

As part of the Mayor’s commitment to lead the way and radically transform the TfL bus fleet, all of TfL’s buses meet or exceed the LEZ standard. This has reduced NOx emissions from the TfL bus fleet by around 90 per cent compared to 2016.

The LEZ also has significant benefits outside of London, with independent analysis by the Environmental Defence Fund showing vehicles that passed through London’s Low Emission Zone went on to drive through 95 per cent of the major towns and cities in England and Wales, bringing air quality benefits to  a combined population of 18 million people.