The controversial London Ulez expansion has already raised a staggering £500million, according to new data, as experts criticise Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan.Fresh research shows that Transport for London has raked in more than £514million in daily charges and penalties since the expansion of the Ulez in 2023.The Daily Mail reported that this represents a £100million boost in takings compared to the 29 months prior to the expansion.Petrol and diesel vehicles are charged £12.50 to drive inside the zone if they fail to meet emissions standards, namely Euro 4 for petrol and Euro 6 for diesel.
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Once a motorist pays the £12.50 charge, they can drive freely within the Ultra Low Emission Zone for that 24-hour period.TfL raised £219million from the charges in 2025, marking a record year, compared to the £215million raked in the year prior.London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has consistently backed the Ulez scheme, noting that it was helping bring the capital’s air within legal limits almost 200 years earlier than predicted.Writing on social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, Sir Khan said: “The decision to expand the Ulez London-wide was a difficult one.”But it was necessary to save lives and reduce the risk of Londoners developing asthma, dementia and other health issues.”Data from City Hall found that the Ulez expansion in August 2023 led to a “significant” drop in air pollution across the capital.It showed that the changes were equivalent to removing 200,000 cars from the road for a year, with London seeing air quality improve at a faster rate than the rest of England.Despite this, criticism from opposition politicians has been stark, with Shadow Transport Secretary Richard Holden slamming the expansion, describing it as a money-making scheme.LATEST DEVELOPMENTSPetrol and diesel car ban in doubt as ministers admit plan ‘might not be practicable’National speed limit to be slashed to 50mph at dangerous hotspot on major road under new proposalsMotorists flood police with dashcam footage of major driving offences as thousands face penaltiesHe told The Daily Mail: “Labour’s anti-driver obsession is pricing people off our roads and out of our capital.”Sir Sadiq Khan and Sir Keir Starmer keep pretending it’s about clean air, but really, it’s about the cash. Half a billion pounds of it.”The Conservative MP for Basildon and Billericay emphasised that Sir Khan and Labour “don’t care about drivers”.Similarly, Bob Blackman, Conservative MP for Harrow East, claimed that the Ulez expansion was having a “minimal impact” on air quality levels in outer London.He also highlighted that many working-class drivers were facing paying a high daily tax or forking out thousands of pounds to buy a new car.”I know many small businesses who now live outside London who refuse to take on jobs due to the cost of motoring,” the MP continued.Sir Sadiq Khan stated in March 2025 that Sutton, Merton, Croydon, Harrow and Bromley had all seen a 15 per cent drop in nitrogen dioxide levels since the expansion.
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