Clean air and business woes: London's car pollution toll two years on

Air quality has drastically improved in the British capital following the rollout and expansion of a contested car pollution toll two years ago. As French lawmakers prepare to debate scrapping their version of a low-emissions zone, which is expected on Wednesday, UK researchers and campaigners have hailed the effectiveness of the toll in improving London's air quality.

The Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ), the world's largest pollution charging scheme, was implemented in central London in 2019, before expanding to Greater London's nine million residents in 2023. It requires motorists to switch to low-emission vehicles or face a daily charge of £12.50 for driving a polluting car within the zone.