ULEZ You: How to Buy Used Cars in the Age of Low Emission Zones Car News

If you’re going to be in a traffic jam in a ULEZ, you might as well do it in considerable comfort. A late Jaguar XJ with a suitable engine is your last chance to buy a legend. A 2018 Sport with a 3.0 V6 petrol engine, panoramic sunroof and 64,000 miles costs just under £ 27,000. Then again, a Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the default luxury limousine; a contemporary looking 2006 S500 with 80,000 miles is just under £ 10,000, which is great for traveling and arriving.

Clean air zones explained

A growing number of cities and regions in the UK and abroad are introducing Clean Air Zones. Here’s what you need to know.

How do CAZs work?

While there are differences in the various CAZs that have been introduced or are being considered in different parts of the UK, most use broadly similar rules. Drivers of older vehicles have to pay a fixed fee if they enter the CAZ. Most CAZs exempt all gasoline cars that meet the Euro 4 standard (usually registered after January 2006) and diesel cars that meet the Euro 6 standard (usually registered after September 2015). Most CAZs are enforced through the use of ANPR cameras and feature online payment systems for owners of non-compliant vehicles that are driven into the areas.

Why are they needed?

Encouraging regions to introduce CAZs is part of a broader government initiative to improve urban air quality by reducing pollution from vehicles. Air quality in a number of urban areas is currently below legal limits. The World Health Organization says seven million premature deaths each year can be linked to poor air quality. A study by CBI Economics, commissioned by the Clean Air Fund, claims that CAZs lead to an average 18% reduction in NO2 in eight UK cities. A March 2021 report from the mayor of London claimed his ULEZ had already reduced NO2 levels in the capital by 44%.

Which cities have CAZs?

London was the first city in the UK to launch a CAZ program, with the introduction of ULEZ covering its center in April 2019. It comes with a separate congestion charge, of which electric vehicles are exempt. Bath introduced a CAZ that only applies to commercial vehicles in March. The Birmingham CAZ came into effect in June, with a charge of £ 8 per day for non-compliant cars (those owned by disabled people and those over 40 are exempt).