Sadiq Khan has been urged to be bolder with plans for an ultra low emission zone by including black taxis and extending it across Greater London.
The Mayor has been accused of a “missed opportunity” by proposing an exemption for the capital’s 23,000 diesel cabs — despite Transport for London figures showing they emit more than a quarter of PM10 particulates and 16 per cent of nitrogen oxides generated by traffic in central London.
Under plans announced by Mr Khan last week, the first phase of the ULEZ will start on April 8, 2019, in the central London congestion charge area.
Cars and vans that breach new emissions rules will be charged £12.50 a day. Buses, coaches and HGVs will pay £100.
Now the Mayor is under pressure to do more to get the 15,000 most polluting cabs — those which will fail emissions targets — off the streets more quickly.
He plans to award new licences only to ZEC (zero-emission capable) cabs from next January. However, taxis have a 15-year life-span and already licensed cabs will still be able to re-apply for new annual licences — meaning it could take a decade to rid London of the most polluting vehicles.
Meric Apak, Camden’s cabinet member for sustainability and environment, said: “It is a missed opportunity that black cabs continue to be exempt from the ULEZ charges.”
The second phase of the ULEZ will see buses, coaches and lorries face a London-wide levy from 2020. The third stage will take the charging zone for cars and vans to the North and South Circular roads by 2021.
Camden believes the zone should be implemented over the widest area possible and Hackney is in favour of a London-wide diesel ban. Feryal Demirci, Hackney cabinet member for transport, said: “We do not feel that a zone which stops at the North and South Circular… is ambitious enough.”
Mr Khan’s spokesman said the Mayor was using TfL’s licensing powers over black cabs, rather than the ULEZ, to deliver “the toughest emission standard of any world city”.
The spokesman added: “From 2018, all new black cabs will have to be zero-emission capable — plug-in electric vehicles. TfL is also providing £40 million to help retire older black cabs more quickly.”
