For once there is good news for truck operators. Usually if there is a scheme to limit emissions or traffic then it is the truck operators that bear the brunt of the changes. This may be because there are more voters that drive cars than trucks?

With the much-debated expansion of the London Mayor’s ULEZ zone to all London boroughs at the end of August 2023 the impact on car and van drivers will be significant. Any petrol car or van older than 2005 (pre-Euro 4) will have to pay the £12.50 daily charge to drive in any London borough. Any diesel car older than September 2015 will have to pay the same daily charge for every time that it is used in the zone (not if simply parked in it.)

So, what about the trucks?

Old News

It is only good news for truck operators because these rules have already applied since March 2021. Ince this time, under the Low Emission Zone scheme (LEZ), commercial vehicles over 3.5 tonnes GVW have had to meet Euro 6 standards or pay a £100 daily charge (assuming the truck is at least a Euro 4). If the truck is even older, the charge rises to £300.

The LEZ for trucks and the expanded ULEZ for cars and light vans will cover the same geographical area – broadly inside the M25, although it is not as straightforward as that.

Check out the interactive map for the LEZ for trucks:

https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/low-emission-zone/about-the-lez

Check out the interactive map for the ULEZ for cars & light vans:

https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/ulez-expansion-2023

You will see that they are almost identical – the link here shows the slight differences:

https://lruc.content.tfl.gov.uk/ulez-londonwide-expansion-2023-long-dwell-map-v2.pdf