London Mayor Sadiq Khan has come under fire from political opponents for his plans to expand the “ultra-low emission zones” (ULEZ) in the city. These zones impose a daily charge of £12.50 (around $15.75) on non-compliant vehicles that drive in certain areas of the capital, following European emissions standards.
The aim of this move is to combat toxic air pollution in London, which Khan highlighted in a recent article for The New Statesman as a leading cause of worsening asthma and potentially increasing the risk of dementia. Despite facing opposition from local councils and drivers of traditional combustion engine cars, which emit harmful pollutants and contribute to global warming, there are clear benefits to keeping polluting vehicles off the roads.
A notable example of the positive impact of such measures can be seen in Pontevedra, a city in northern Spain that banned most cars in 1999. Since then, the city has experienced remarkable changes, including zero car-related deaths for over a decade and a 67% reduction in total air pollution, according to Mayor Miguel Anxo Fernández Lores.
To achieve these results, Pontevedra prioritized the needs of its residents over cars by redesigning the city and relocating parking areas outside the city center. As a result, 70% of travel in Pontevedra is now done on foot, as reported by Smart Cities in a 2018 video from the World Economic Forum.
Fernández Lores emphasized that implementing such measures requires political courage and that responsible politicians should not be swayed by the fear of losing elections. The success of Pontevedra serves as inspiration for London’s ULEZ expansion, which has already shown promising results. The city government reported a 50% reduction in nitrogen dioxide pollution since the introduction of ULEZs, with pollution rates decreasing five times faster than the rest of the UK between 2016 and 2020. Additionally, it is estimated that 1 million hospital admissions were prevented thanks to this policy.
The benefits of encouraging the use of emission-free electric cars or even banning cars from city spaces are evident. Pontevedra’s experience demonstrates the positive impact on residents, and London hopes that the expansion of ULEZs will deliver similar results by reducing toxic gases in the city’s air.
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