A judge has ruled that the proposed expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in London can go ahead on 29 August. To be eligible for certain benefits, residents must scrap a car that does not meet the new emissions limits. Those claiming the higher £5000 allowance must scrap a wheelchair-accessible vehicle.

The mayor’s office has stated that the ULEZ expansion will help remove 200,000 highly polluting vehicles from the city’s roads. However, the AA disputes this figure and claims that up to 400,000 cars will be affected. The AA spokesperson, Luke Bosdet, expressed concern that the scrappage allowance only applies to people on benefits, excluding those with low incomes who hold multiple jobs and those in the care sector who require cars for patient visits.

The RAC has raised questions about the timing of the ULEZ extension. Nicholas Lyes, the head of roads policy, voices concerns that expansion is happening while drivers already struggle with high fuel costs. The RAC suggests either expanding the scrappage scheme to benefit more households or providing residents with a sunset period until August 2024 to allow them more time to upgrade their vehicles.

Experts in vehicle valuation have also questioned the value of the £2000 scrappage allowance. Dylan Setterfield, the head of forecast strategy and operations at Cap HPI, believes this amount is unlikely to cover the cost of purchasing a car that meets the current requirements to avoid the ULEZ charge. Darren Rodwell, leader of the Labour-controlled Barking and Dagenham council, shares this sentiment, stating that the £110 million scrappage budget will not adequately compensate those forced to change their cars.

However, there is a silver lining for drivers and residents in the affected zone. Non-compliant older cars have seen a recent increase in value of approximately 3%, according to Cap HPI. In comparison, values for three-year-old vehicles have remained stable. This increase in value may help ease the cost of transitioning from a non-compliant car to a Euro 4 petrol or Euro 6 diesel.