Consultation Information Document (Oct 2016)
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New proposals to improve air quality Consultation and information document October 2016 New Proposals to Improve Air Quality – Consultation Information Document (Oct 2016) About Transport for London Part of the Greater London Authority family of organisations led by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, we are the integrated transport authority responsible for delivering the Mayor's strategy and commitments on transport. As a core element in the Mayor's overall plan for London, our purpose is to keep London moving, working and growing, and to make life in our city better. We reinvest all of our income to run and improve London’s transport services and to make it more modern and affordable for everyone. Our operational responsibilities include London Underground, London Buses, Docklands Light Railway, London Overground, TfL Rail, London Trams, London River Services, London Dial-a-Ride, Victoria Coach Station, Santander Cycles and the Emirates Air Line. On the roads, we regulate taxis and the private hire trade, run the Congestion Charging and Low Emission Zone schemes, manage the city’s 580km red route network, operate all of the Capital’s 6,300 traffic signals and work to ensure a safe environment for all road users. We are delivering one of the world’s largest programmes of transport capital investment, which is building the Elizabeth line, modernising Tube services and stations, transforming the road network and making it safer, especially for more vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists. We work hard to make journeys easier through effective use of technology and data. We provide modern ways to pay through Oyster and contactless payment cards and provide information in a wide range of formats to help people move around London. Real-time travel information is provided directly by us and through third party organisations, which use the data we make openly and freely available to power apps and other services. We listen to, and act upon, feedback and complaints to constantly improve our services and work with communities, representative groups, businesses and many other stakeholders to shape transport provision in London. Improving and expanding transport in London is central to driving economic growth, jobs and housing throughout the United Kingdom. Under the Mayor’s housing strategy, we are using our surplus land to provide thousands of new, affordable homes. Our own supply chain creates tens of thousands of jobs and apprenticeships across the country. 2 New Proposals to Improve Air Quality – Consultation Information Document (Oct 2016) Contents Part 1: Background and overview........................................................................... 5 Structure of this document ...................................................................................... 6 Summary of consultations ...................................................................................... 7 Chapter 1 – The case for further intervention ....................................................... 11 1.1 Air pollution and public health .................................................................. 11 1.2 London’s responsibility – air quality ......................................................... 12 1.3 Update on London’s air quality ................................................................ 16 Chapter 2 – Existing air quality initiatives ............................................................. 25 2.1 The Congestion Charge ........................................................................... 25 2.2 The Ultra Low Emission Zone .................................................................. 26 2.3 The London Low Emission Zone.............................................................. 27 2.4 Key additional action on air pollution ........................................................ 29 Part 2: The Emissions Surcharge ......................................................................... 35 Chapter 3 – Options and description .................................................................... 35 3.1 Scheme description ................................................................................. 35 3.2 Hours of operation ................................................................................... 36 3.3 Location ................................................................................................... 36 3.4 Discounts and exemptions ....................................................................... 36 3.5 Emissions standard .................................................................................. 39 3.6 Number of vehicles affected .................................................................... 42 3.7 ES level .................................................................................................... 42 3.8 Proposed start and end date .................................................................... 43 3.9 Paying the ES .......................................................................................... 44 3.10 Impact on emissions ............................................................................. 45 3.11 Cost of compliance with ES .................................................................. 47 3.12 Integrated Impact Assessment ............................................................. 48 Part 3: Ideas for the future of the ULEZ ................................................................ 50 Chapter 4 – Bringing forward the ULEZ in central London ................................... 52 4.1 Introduction .............................................................................................. 52 4.2 Impact on emissions ................................................................................ 52 4.3 Cost of compliance for ULEZ ................................................................... 54 4.4 Included vehicles, discounts and exemptions .......................................... 54 Chapter 5 – London-wide ULEZ standards for heavy vehicles ............................. 56 5.1 Description ............................................................................................... 56 3 New Proposals to Improve Air Quality – Consultation Information Document (Oct 2016) 5.2 Emissions standard .................................................................................. 57 5.3 Year of implementation ............................................................................ 57 5.4 Boundary ................................................................................................. 58 5.5 Charge level, discounts and exemptions ................................................. 58 5.6 Indicative emissions impact ..................................................................... 58 Chapter 6 – Expanding the ULEZ to the North and South Circular roads ............. 60 6.1 Description ............................................................................................... 60 6.2 Boundary ................................................................................................. 60 6.3 Year of implementation ............................................................................ 62 6.4 Charge level ............................................................................................. 63 6.5 Discounts and exemptions ....................................................................... 63 6.6 Enforcement ............................................................................................ 63 6.7 Indicative emissions impact ..................................................................... 63 Appendix A: Explanation of vehicle emissions standards ................................. 68 Appendix B: Integrated Impact Assessment of the Emission Surcharge ......... 71 Glossary ................................................................................................................ 100 4 New Proposals to Improve Air Quality – Consultation Information Document (Oct 2016) Part 1: Background and overview Air pollution is one of the most significant challenges facing London. The equivalent of around 9,400 deaths per year are attributed to air quality related illnesses. As part of the Mayor‘s pledge to help improve air quality and health for all Londoners, he is proposing to introduce an Emissions Surcharge (ES), more commonly known as the ‘T-Charge’, on 23 October 2017. This will target the older, more polluting vehicles driving into and within central London. Detailed statutory proposals for the ES, which will be paid in addition to the Congestion Charge, are set out in Part 2 of this document. The introduction of the ES will involve changes to the current Congestion Charge scheme order, subject to this consultation. The Mayor will consider representations received and decide whether or not to approve them (with or without modifications) in early 2017. Transport for London (TfL) is also seeking views on the following: Bringing forward the introduction of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to 2019, instead of 2020 Extending the ULEZ London-wide for heavy vehicles (heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), buses and coaches) as early as 2019, but possibly later Extending the ULEZ from central London up to the North and South Circular roads for all vehicles1 as early as 2019, but possibly later The ULEZ would require most vehicles entering central London to meet specified exhaust emissions standards or pay a daily charge. It is currently scheduled to start in September 2020. This document