The little known loophole that lets you beat the ULEZ charge

At midnight on August 29 an invisible curtain will descend around London protected by thousands of cameras, recording the number plates of every car moving across the border.

Further cameras will monitor routes within the city, gathering data and collecting cash as Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s Ulez zone will expand to cover the vast majority of the area inside the M25.

Opponents of the scheme claim that residents and businesses will have to spend large amounts of cash during the ongoing cost of living crisis if they wish to keep driving in the capital. Last year alone the scheme, which operates inside the North Circular and South Circular roads raised almost £227millon.

Supporters of Mayor Khan’s proposal counter by suggesting that reducing the amount of pollution in the atmosphere will benefit all Londoners, especially the young and those with chronic breathing conditions such as asthma.

The Ulez zone will expand to much of the area inside the M25 in August

Under the terms of the scheme, petrol cars have to have engines which reach the Euro 4 standard which covers the majority of vehicles since January 2006.

However, diesel cars have to reach the Euro 6 standard which came into force in September 2015.

Most cars  and vans which do not reach these standards will have to be replaced, or face a £12.50 charge for each day they are used. The fee runs 24 hours a day and seven days a week – apart from Christmas Day.

However, someone entering the Ulez zone shortly before midnight and leave a few minutes after the clock strikes 12, they will have to pay an additional £12.50.

There are fears there are not enough Ulez compliant vans on the market to make up for the potential demand, leading tradespeople to face added costs or lose work.

Petrol cars which are not Euro 4 standard and diesels which are not compliant with the

Master mechanic Fuzz Townshend who appears on the National Geographic channel’s popular Car SOS which sees classic cars restored for deserving people nominated by friends and family, has his own way of avoiding the charge.

‘Cheap to run, almost completely written down regarding carbon footprint at 84-plus years old and easy to maintain – Austin Sevens were built to be home serviced – and tiny enough to fit into postage stamp sized parking spots. They exude a beguiling classless charm.

Master Mechanic Fuzz Townshend of Car SOS said motorists in London should consider buying a classic Austin Seven, pictured. He said pre-war cars are more than capable of keeping up with 20mph speed limits within the city. He said driving such a car ‘is to state that you have with style and panache outsmarted the authorities’

‘To be seen entering or exiting such a machine is to state that you have with style and panache outsmarted the authorities- for now. They are ULEZ exempt, as are most pre-1970 classics for that matter, including my own 10.45 litre engined Daimler double decker bus.

‘Yes prewar cars are slow, but with 20mph speed limits everywhere, you will be cruising comfortably.

‘For trips further afield, ruin a hire car rather than running your own into the ground.

‘There’s a long way to go before pedals or Oysters are necessary.’

The new series of Car SOS returns to National Geographic in March.

Another way of outsmarting the authorities is to buy a gas-guzzling 4.2litre supercharged V8 Range Range Rover with 395bhp and a top speed of 130mph

Despite being almost 17 years old, this car will still be free to drive in London after the Ulez expansion

In town, the Range Rover will return around 12.6mpg, but under the rules it is still Ulez compliant

The car, which was more than £80,000 when new, can be bought for £3,780

Despite the bargain basement price, the car is fitted with virtually every option offered

Once cars reach 40 years old – so those before January 1983 – they are also Ulez exempt. So this also can provide a relatively low-cost option to remain within the rules while driving around in a head turner, such as an MGB GT, an original Mini Cooper S, or a host of classic Fords used during the filming of the ITV show The Sweeney or The Professionals.

Those seeking something with a bit more class, maybe a Jaguar MkII as featured in Inspector Morse would be more appropriate.

Although, for those who have to ditch their economical diesel car to avoid the charge, but are unwilling to pay for a new car, there is another option… buying a luxury motor before they become an unaffordable classic.

One 2006 Range Rover Vogue – featuring the throbbing 395bhp 4.2litre supercharged V8 – is currently available for £3,780.

When new, the first owner would have paid more than £80,000 for the car. But be warned, that while the luxury SUV is available for the same money as a supermarket runaround, its parts and servicing costs remain at a premium.

Also, for someone used to 50-60mpg in a non-compliant diesel car, the 12.6mpg around town might provoke palpitations.

One way around the Ulez problem would be a classic car such as a MkI Ford Consul GT, pictured, as featured in The Sweeney

Politically, Mayor Khan faces significant opposition, with the PM Rishi Sunak among those opposed to the expansion.

In the London Assembly, Nick Rogers AM, the Conservative transport spokesman stressed it will be those who can least afford it who will be hit by the tax.

The AA said that even Mr Khan’s own figures show that more than one in ten cars within the affected area are not compliant.

A spokesperson said: ‘The AA doesn’t believe those stats reveal the whole picture and, with likely 250,000 affected private cars in Outer London and at least another 100,000 coming in from outside London, the total number of cars that will potentially be priced off the capital’s streets will be 350,000-400,000.’

The AA said rules for diesel cars are stricter than those for petrol, which which has an impact on pensioners who purchased their cars at a time when the government policy favoured the oil burners.

A spokesperson said: ‘Many older diesels belong to retired residents who bought the vehicles as their last car, firstly because they are more fuel efficient and, second, because they were encouraged to do so by central government to cut CO2 emissions.

‘The Mayor’s argument is that poorer neighbourhoods have lower levels of car ownership. That ignores those residents that do have cars and rely heavily on them to get to work, juggle multiple jobs, get the kids to school, carry out basic trips like shopping, and support elderly and infirm relatives.’

Richmond Council in west London is among the local authorities seeking to defer the plan until the economy improves.

Councillor Alexander Ehmann, Chair of Richmond Council’s Transport and Air Quality Committee, said: ‘We hope that the Mayor of London will consider a 6-12 month delay and consider extending the scrappage scheme to help the much greater number of people who rely on their vehicles and simply cannot afford to replace them without a significant transition period and financial support.’

Merton Council said scrappage allowances should be expanded if the scheme goes ahead as planned.

The Leader of Merton council, Councillor Ross Garrod, said: ‘Many of our residents are struggling to make ends meet and we were one of the first London boroughs to declare a cost of living emergency in July. This underlines the need for the biggest scrappage scheme yet, totalling £110million, announced by the Mayor of London. This is exactly what we called for in our response to the consultation if ULEZ was to be expanded, to support drivers, including key workers and people living in areas which are not well served by public transport.’

Councillor Ruth Dombey said her colleagues want the implementation of the scheme delayed. She added: ‘We all understand the importance of clean air and recognise the impact pollution has on the lives of people living in our city. But we also have to recognise the pressures our residents are facing with the soaring cost of living. Over 70 per cent of residents in Sutton have ULEZ compliant vehicles, that means nearly 30 per cent do not and in a matter of months the Mayor is expecting our residents to stump up the cash to change their car or use public transport that doesn’t exist.’

Waltham Forest’s Deputy Leader Cllr Clyde Loakes, who is Cabinet Member for Climate and Air Quality said: ‘Poor air quality contributed to the deaths of 4,000 Londoners in 2019 alone. This is a shocking statistic that shows how important reducing car journeys is to improve our air quality, helping our personal health and local environment.

‘Waltham Forest has long argued that the ULEZ should encompass all of London. We welcome the expansion and the significant improvement to air quality and reduction in deaths that will come as a result.’

While Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon described Mr Khan as ‘out of touch’.

‘Alongside other outer London authorities, Croydon is exploring options to legally challenge this flawed expansion. We will also be resisting attempts by TfL to use our lampposts and street furniture for ULEZ signage and cameras.’

Harrow Council are also considering an appeal against the decision along with Hillingdon, Bexley and Croydon, though they have not made a final decision.

The spokesperson said: ‘Around 4,000 Londoners die prematurely each year due to toxic air, with the greatest number of deaths attributable to air pollution in London’s outer boroughs. There is no time to waste when so many lives are on the line. An estimated five million more Londoners are expected to benefit from cleaner air when the ULEZ is expanded London-wide in August.’

The mayor’s office said £110m is being made available for a scrappage scheme on top of an earlier investment of £61 million.

The spokesperson added: ‘The Mayor urges all councils in London to put people’s health first. TfL will work closely and collaboratively with all London boroughs to ensure the infrastructure required is installed so that we can continue building a healthier, greener London for everyone.’