8th April 2019 is the proposed date the worlds first Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) that will come into force in Central London. This zone is proposed to help over 100,000 people across London live longer, healthier lives in areas exceeding NO2 limits. The ULEZ will also tighten standards on emissions, which will affect up to 60,000 vehicles a day.
A Toxicity Charge (T-Charge) was introduced in Central London to help drive out polluting, older vehicles, and to encourage walking or cycling or using public transport. The ULEZ will be replacing the T-Charge from 2019. The key difference between the T-Charge and ULEZ is that ULEZ will be in operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
ULEZ Charge Levels:
There will be two charge levels as part of the ULEZ. £12.50 for cars, vans and motorbikes and £100 a day for lorries, buses and coaches. These charges will be in addition to the Congestion Charge. This will mean more polluting cars and vans would pay £24 a day and coaches etc would pay £111.50 during C-Charge hours.
Pollution in General:
The announcement of the ULEZ comes only weeks after the London Mayor calls for tighter controls on general pollution in the capital. This full article can be read here. Whilst the Mayor mentioned seeking powers to potentially limit the of burning solid fuels at specific times such as poor air quality episodes as part of the tighter pollution controls in early October 2017, we (and many others in our industry) used this to highlight a key point. It’s the illegal burning of wood on open fires, which is the main issue in the capital – not the use of ultra clean, high efficiency wood burning stoves, such as those found in the Charlton & Jenrick range.
ULEZ and Non-Transport Pollution:
The Ultra Low Emission Zone’s main focus is to help make a cleaner environment through encouraging cleaner forms of transportation. It does not relate or focus on other forms of pollution control, which the Mayor of London was very vocal on recently.
So what could this mean?
This could very well be the start of much harder pollution controls in the capital, which as an environmentally focused organisation we would welcome. It would give us, and other dedicated manufacturers of high efficient stoves and fires, the chance to demonstrate how far our products have evolved, and to also highlight the ongoing issue of open fires in the capital.
Open fires, old stoves and the pollution they make need addressing sooner rather than later. The recent communication by the Mayor was widely misinterpreted by the press so as to unfairly tarnish “burning solid fuel” as something, which should be totally forbidden in various zones. No mention was placed on the shift towards high efficiency stoves and the immediate air quality benefits they can bring over open fires and old stoves.
Surely it’s of environmental, economic and social importance to be educating consumers, and giving them an insight into the various options around more environmentally friendly ways to heat a home.
To learn more about our range of high efficiency stoves please visit https://www.charltonandjenrick.co.uk/products/stoves/
