We are ready for ULEZ back to articles

What is ULEZ?

ULEZ is an acronym for Ultra Low Emission Zone. The zone will be in place in central London from 8th April 2019, a full year earlier than the original proposal. Many of London’s Theatres are within the ULEZ as well as other popular tourist attractions such as Buckingham Palace, The London Eye, Covent Garden and The British Museum. From October 2020 Transport for London will also strengthen the current LEZ standards for coaches. The LEZ covers all roads within Greater London, those at Heathrow Airport and parts of the M1 and M4. All coaches entering the LEZ and ULEZ will need to meet Euro 6 emission standards or pay a daily charge of £100. With just over eight months to go until the ULEZ is in place, there is still no certified exhaust retrofit solution for coaches. Therefore coach operators have been left with the very difficult and financially challenging decision to either renew their entire fleet, or possibly pass the daily charge of £100 onto their customers.

How will ULEZ affect your future coach travel?

Thanks to our rapid fleet replacement policy, we can officially say that we are ready for ULEZ and are operating one of the most environmentally friendly coach fleets in the country. This means that the majority of our coach fleet already comply with the emission standards and we can operate within the zones without incurring a daily charge. Since 2015, twenty-one Euro 6 coaches have been added to the fleet with a further two being added by the end of 2018, an investment of 4.5 million pounds in four years. With a similar rate of investment planned for the next two years, by October 2020 and in the space of five years, we will have replaced our entire fleet to meet Euro 6 emission standards.

Why do we need ULEZ?

Air pollution is one of the most significant challenges facing London, affecting the health of all Londoners. Every child in London breathes toxic air daily, damaging their lung growth. Road transport is the biggest source of the emissions damaging health in London. Around half of emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), which contribute to illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and particulate matter (PM) come from transport. These pollutants make chronic illnesses worse, shorten life expectancy and can damage lung development. The communities suffering most from poor air quality are often the most vulnerable, including the children of London. At least 360 primary schools are in areas exceeding safe legal pollution levels. ULEZ is another way to help further reduce the most harmful emissions generated by road transport in central London, across the Capital and many other major cities in the UK.