London mayor Sadiq Khan has launched what he said is ‘the biggest scrappage scheme ever’, with £110m to help disadvantaged Londoners, charities and small businesses replace or retrofit vehicles that do not comply with the capital’s ultra low emissions zone (ULEZ).
It follows the mayor’s controversial decision to expand the ULEZ London-wide from August this year.
Londoners receiving certain means-tested benefits and non-means-tested disability benefits can apply for cash grants of up to £2,000 to scrap their non-compliant cars or motorcycles. As a new feature, successful applicants can choose to receive a higher value package comprised of up to two free annual bus and tram passes and a lower cash grant.
Disabled people who want to scrap or retrofit a non-compliant wheelchair accessible vehicle will be able to apply for grants of £5,000 to reflect the higher cost of these vehicles. Disabled people can also apply for a nominated driver who lives at a different address if they do not drive themselves.
Charities, sole traders and business with 10 or fewer employees registered in London can apply to scrap a van (£5,000 grant) or a minibus (£7,000 grant), retrofit certain vans or minibuses (£5,000 grant) or scrap and replace a van or minibus with a fully electric vehicle (£7,500 or £9,500 grant respectively).
Today I launched the biggest-ever ULEZ scrappage scheme.
— Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) January 30, 2023
£110million is available to support businesses, charities, Londoners on low incomes & disabled Londoners to replace their old, heavily polluting vehicles with greener options.?
Find out more ?? https://t.co/ubDKlfg85a pic.twitter.com/CEzGy8v9Py
Two new grace periods provide exemptions until October 2027 for recipients of certain disability benefits (or their nominated driver) and for all wheelchair accessible vehicles and some vehicles with other adaptations. The grace periods are available to all eligible people or a nominated driver regardless of whether they live in London, and they will apply to the current ULEZ zone as well.
Seeking to deflect criticism of his decision to expand the ULEZ, Mr Khan said it had been ‘difficult’ for him, but said it would ‘save lives, help tackle the climate crisis and reduce congestion’.
He added: ‘The health of Londoners must come first and I know that expanding the ULEZ London-wide, alongside this £110m scrappage scheme, will help us to continue building a greener, fairer and healthier London for everyone.’
Disability rights campaigner Dr Kush Kanodia said: ‘We are delighted and welcome these changes from the Mayor of London and Transport for London. I started the campaign two years ago which called for further reasonable adjustments for disabled Londoners from ULEZ.
‘Disabled people have already been the most disproportionately impacted from austerity, the pandemic and the current cost-of-living crisis. Climate action must go hand in hand with climate justice and social justice, to prevent further increases in poverty and inequality in our society.
‘I now call on the Mayor of London, National Government and city leaders to replicate the further reasonable adjustments for disabled people from ULEZ, creating a standardised and compassionate policy for all the new clean air zones, from Bath, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Portsmouth & Newcastle, to all future cities in Sheffield & Manchester.’
