Almost 5,000 applications to Sadiq Khan’s £110m Ulez scrappage fund have been approved – with van drivers claiming the lion’s share of the cash.
Transport for London said nearly £18m of grants – a sixth of the total – had been allocated since the fund opened at the end of January.
More than £13.5m is being spent enabling vans, minibuses and coaches that breach the Ulez emission rules to be replaced with cleaner vehicles, plus more than £4m to take non-compliant cars and motorbikes off the capital’s roads.
It came as City Hall urged London motorists to check whether they stand to benefit from the scheme, amid concerns that thousands may not realise they are eligible for financial help.
The scrappage scheme is designed to help low-income Londoners, disabled drivers, small businesses and charities avoid the £12.50-a-day levy when the mayor’s clean air scheme expands to the Greater London boundary on August 29.
Drivers who failed to secure a pay-out from previous Ulez scrappage schemes, which were massively oversubscribed, are entitled to make a new application.
TfL said that 4,833 applications had been approved to date – 2,183 to scrap cars and motorbikes (£4,174,000 of grants) and 2,650 to scrap vans and minibuses (£13,553,500).
Recipients include almost 1,700 low-income drivers, 500 disabled Londoners, 1,329 sole traders, 1,290 “micro businesses” – those with 10 employees or fewer – and 31 charities.
The scheme offers £1,000 for a motorbike, £2,000 for a car, £5,000 for a van and £7,000 for a minibus. In addition, £5,000 grants are available to scrap or retrofit a van or wheelchair-accessible vehicle, while replacing a van or minibus with a fully electric vehicle attracts payments of £7,500 or £9,500 respectively.
TfL said it expected a flood of applications as the expansion date approached. Most petrol vehicles under 16 years old and diesels under six years old are Ulez-compliant and do not need to be replaced.
People likely to be eligible include couples with no children earning up to £36,000 a year and in rented accommodation.
A couple with two children, renting and earning in excess of £50,000 a year could also qualify if they receive Universal Credit.
Pensioners who receive housing benefit to help pay their rent may also qualify.
Christina Calderato, TfL’s Director of Strategy and Policy said: “While the vast majority of cars driving in outer London on an average day are compliant, I urge drivers to use our vehicle checker and if they have a non-compliant vehicle, check their eligibility for the scrappage scheme to help them make the switch to greener and cleaner travel.”
