How London Uses Road Fees to Tackle Air Pollution and Inequality

London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) uses road fees to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and toxic air pollution, which disproportionately affect low-income and non-white residents. Integrated with broader clean mobility measures, the ULEZ has significantly reduced the number of polluting vehicles in central London and lowered NO2 concentrations. The program is supported by financial funds to help low-income residents and small businesses transition to compliant vehicles, with the goal of reducing air pollution exposure disparities by 85% by 2030.

• The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) requires drivers in central London to meet strict emissions standards or pay a daily charge ranging from £12.50 to £100 ($17.50-140). The zone, which initially covered 21 square kilometers, was scheduled to expand to 360 square kilometers in October 2021.
• Ten months after the ULEZ was introduced, daily polluting vehicles in central London decreased by 49% (approximately 44,100 vehicles), while NO2 concentrations fell by 44% and road transport CO2 emissions dropped by 6%. Additionally, the number of schools facing unsafe pollution levels decreased from 455 in 2016 to 14 in 2019.
• London's air pollution policies are designed to address social justice, as the poorest and often non-white residents live in the most affected areas. These policies are projected to reduce the disparity in air pollution exposure between the most and least polluted neighborhoods by 85% by 2030.
• To mitigate the financial burden of the ULEZ on vulnerable groups, the Greater London Authority established a $60 million fund for low-income residents, disabled residents, and small businesses to replace non-compliant vehicles. Furthermore, ULEZ revenue helped fund $105 million for public buses, resulting in Europe's largest electric bus fleet.
• Transport for London (TfL) estimates that these policies will prevent 1.2 million new air pollution-related hospital admissions by 2050, potentially saving the UK's social care and National Health Service £5 billion ($7 billion).

APA

World Resources Institute (2021). How London Uses Road Fees to Tackle Air Pollution and Inequality. https://www.wri.org/insights/london-road-fees-address-pollution-and-inequality

Chicago

World Resources Institute. How London Uses Road Fees to Tackle Air Pollution and Inequality. 2021. https://www.wri.org/insights/london-road-fees-address-pollution-and-inequality.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=How London Uses Road Fees to Tackle Air Pollution and Inequality |date=11 June 2021 |url=https://www.wri.org/insights/london-road-fees-address-pollution-and-inequality |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2021how, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{How London Uses Road Fees to Tackle Air Pollution and Inequality}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2021}, month = jun, url = {https://www.wri.org/insights/london-road-fees-address-pollution-and-inequality}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }