green sign demarcates London's Ultra Low Emissions Zone
(Picture: Getty Images)Only one in three Londoners who asked Sadiq Khan for help to scrap a polluting vehicle received financial help from Transport for London, it has been revealed.
A total of 43,529 applications were made to TfL’s three Ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) scrappage schemes – but only 14,531 were accepted.
Boroughs such as Enfield, Newham, Barnet, Brent and Waltham Forest had the greatest number of residents who received pay-outs.
The new data, published by City Hall in response to a written question to the mayor from Green assembly member Zack Polanski, shows how demand for the grants far exceeded the money available.
Mr Khan launched the scrappage schemes ahead of the Ulez expansion to the North and South Circular roads in October last year, but they had to close after being quickly over-subscribed.
A total of £56,470,500 has been paid out – despite initial suggestions that £61m would be available.
This included £34,827,500 to owners of vans or minibuses, £19,618,000 for cars and motorbikes and £2,025,000 for heavy vehicles.
A total of 4,556 of the 18,511 requests for the van and minibus scheme were approved. For cars and motorbikes, 9,840 of 24,548 applications were accepted. For heavy vehicles, 135 of 470 applications were accepted.
Ealing was the borough with the most successful bids - 942 across all three schemes, followed by Newham on 913.
The boroughs where residents had the fewest bids accepted were Kingston (124), Kensington and Chelsea (153) and Richmond (167).
These boroughs were also responsible for the fewest requests – probably reflecting their status as some of the wealthiest places in the capital.
Mr Khan offered low-income and disabled Londoners £2,000 to scrap a car or £1,000 for a motorbike that would have breached the Ulez rules.
Small businesses and charities were given grants to scrap or retrofit non-compliant vans and minibuses.
A total of 15,228 vehicles have been scrapped as a result of the scheme, according to TfL. People applying to the van and minibus part of the scheme were able to obtain a single grant for up to three vehicles.
Mr Khan wants the Government to help fund a £180m scrappage scheme for outer London, ahead of the proposed expansion of the Ulez across all of Greater London by August 29 next year.
On Tuesday the Evening Standard revealed it will cost TfL an estimated £200m to install the extra infrastructure for the zone’s second widening. The Ulez was first launched in central London in April 2019.
Green London Assembly member Sian Berry said: “There is clearly a huge unmet demand across London for help to shift journeys away from cars, with many Londoners still feeling forced into car ownership.
“It is the mayor and Government’s duty to Londoners to offer them something bigger and better for a new scrappage scheme, alongside new measures to reduce traffic and air pollution. It’s clear there is funding available, provided by drivers from Vehicle Excise Duty and our clean air measures, and no further time should be wasted passing the buck: Londoners need to know how not whether they will be supported.”
