Londoners change their mobility patterns in response to ULEZ

The majority of travellers in the UK capital have changed their travel patterns in response to the introduction of London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), which started operation in early 2019. 

According to a study from Bikesure, a motorbike insurer, the introduction of the ULEZ in London has triggered changes in the way people move, with 65% of car drivers being affected. This figure includes on the one hand people who changed their car to meet the ULEZ requirements and on the other hand people who changed the transport mode that they use to undertake their trips. In order not to be charged for entering the ULEZ, petrol cars must meet at least the Euro 4 emission standard, whereas the requirement is meeting Euro 6 for diesel cars. A higher proportion of other drivers, such as those of vans, motorcycles and scooters, changed their behaviour with 80% reporting that they had changed their behaviour.

The biggest winner from the introduction of the ULEZ is public transport. Around 64% of interviewees replied that they use the bus, tram or underground, whereas 44% walked and 15% cycled. Of the respondents, 23% changed to use low-emission cars and 20% to low-emission two-wheelers. Only around 31% of respondents answered that they had not changed their mobility choices at all, while 26% stated that they could not afford to drive or travel in the ULEZ. A further quarter of interviewees stated that they drove less in the area covered by the ULEZ than they had done before.

Bikesure interviewed around 2,000 people for their study. Vehicles that do not meet the required emission standards for travelling in the ULEZ face a daily charge of £12.50 for entering the zone, or otherwise they face a fine of £160.

You can access detailed survey results here.