Request ID: FOI-2437-2223 Date published: 23 January 2023
You asked
How much will the expansion of the ULEZ reduce pollution compared with the increaser pollution resulting from congestion caused by each of the following: a) Traffic Calming measures, speed humps, chicanes, etc. resulting in increased frequent braking/acceleration. b) Positioning of pedestrian crossing adjacent or near roundabouts causing gridlock on the roundabout. c) Failure to provide & removal of bus stop lay-byes causing stopped buses to completely block carriageways. d) Poorly planned roadworks with alternative routes often closed at the same time. e) The obvious lack of local knowledge displayed by road planners. Please also advise the amount of revenue that is expected to be raised by this additional tax on road users and how the funds will be used.
We answered
TfL Ref: 2437-2223 Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 21 December 2022 asking for information about the expansion of the (Ultra Low Emissions Zone) ULEZ. Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require. You asked for: How much will the expansion of the ULEZ reduce pollution compared with the increaser pollution resulting from congestion caused by each of the following: a) Traffic Calming measures, speed humps, chicanes, etc. resulting in increased frequent braking/acceleration. b) Positioning of pedestrian crossing adjacent or near roundabouts causing gridlock on the roundabout. c) Failure to provide & removal of bus stop lay-byes causing stopped buses to completely block carriageways. d) Poorly planned roadworks with alternative routes often closed at the same time. e) The obvious lack of local knowledge displayed by road planners.
The consultation on the expansion of the ULEZ to cover the whole of London included a number of supporting documents, including document “Our proposals to help improve air quality, tackle the climate emergency, and reduce congestion by expanding the ULEZ London-wide and other measures” published in May 2022 and available in the Key Documents section here: https://haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/cleanair This document provides quantified emission reductions in road transport from key pollutants (NOx – oxides of nitrogen, and PM2.5 – particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres), which were established using detailed emissions modelling using traffic data and vehicle fleet composition for each vehicle type, as detailed in Appendix C: Air Quality Modelling, of the above mentioned document. This reduction in emissions was determined by comparing modelled emissions from the ULEZ expansion scenario to a baseline 2023 scenario without the expansion in places, following a similar approach typically used to estimate changes in air pollution due to large scale projects like this. The request is specifically about comparing the reductions discussed in the above document, to the potential increase of pollution from road traffic from a number of points raised, such as traffic calming measures, pedestrian crossings close to roundabouts or roadworks. Whilst we do understand that these issues can indeed locally increase congestion or air pollutant emissions, TfL unfortunately does not hold quantifiable information on a wide scale that would allow a fair comparison with the ULEZ expansion scheme, which is a pan-London intervention. Estimating the impact on emission of these local interventions would require detailed information about them across the whole of London, including location, number, duration (for roadworks for example) etc, and also would pose the question as to what baseline should be considered, which would be difficult to establish. Please also advise the amount of revenue that is expected to be raised by this additional tax on road users and how the funds will be used Any net revenue generated by TfL’s road charging schemes, such as the ULEZ, LEZ or the Congestion Charge), must by law be reinvested back into London’s transport network, including in outer London. ULEZ income is used to fund schemes set out in the Mayor’s Air Quality Strategy. Further information about the air quality schemes being delivered by TfL can be found in our published budgets and business plans, which are available on our website via: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/business-plan. We are currently expecting to generate an additional net operating surplus of c£200m with a range +/- c.50%, in the first full year of operation. There is a large potential financial range as it is very sensitive to a number of assumptions such as volumes, compliance and payment rates, which we are seeing changes in since the expansion of the scheme to inner London in 2021. The operating surplus would quickly reduce over time as compliance is expected to improve.
The expansion of the ULEZ is not about making money, but about improving air quality and the health of Londoners. Any money received from the ULEZ is reinvested into achieving the aims of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy. If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me. Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed. Yours sincerely Jasmine Howard FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
