TfL Ref: FOI-4327-2324
Thank you for your request which we received on 21 February 2024, asking for information about TfL fleet of vehicles and ULEZ compliance.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold the information you require. You asked:
I am requesting your TfL team to provide me with an accurate number of vehicular fleet you use to either:
a) Provide a transport service across the city (i.e.. LONDON BUSES)
b) Use by TfL staff or workers (Train/Black Cabs etc)
d) undertake specific special duties in relation to the business (tfl - Road tasks)
I would appreciate if you could outline how many BUSES, BLACK CAB TAXIS (in total) are registered on the roads of London currently in 2024 and for the previous year 2023 when the ULEZ zone was implemented.
There are approximately 1,000 road vehicles supporting the operation of London Underground, London Overground, London Buses, Trams, the Elizabeth Line, and all of our other services. All of the vehicles in the TfL fleet are ULEZ compliant.
The ULEZ emission standards do not apply to trains, which are powered by electricity.
Another question is directly to TfL and the Mayor of London, ARE ALL OF YOUR TFL ASSOCIATED VEHCILES clean air zone compliant and do they meet the standards you have put in place?
As stated above, all buses operating services contracted by TfL meet or exceed ULEZ emission standards. In terms of the rest of our road vehicle fleet (approx 1000 vehicles) there are just two that are currently ULEZ non-compliant, both owned by the London Transport Museum. These are used rarely to move items between the Museum Depot at Acton and the Museum at Covent Garden, and for towing exhibition equipment to events. If either of the two TfL vehicles which are not ULEZ compliant are driven within the zone, the ULEZ charge would apply.
Another major question around Validity of the time given to London visitors to pay their ULEZ charge for example.
Q) WHY IS IT THAT OTHER GOVERNMENT BASED CLEAN AIR ZONES CHARGE A SMALLER FEE THAN LONDON (i.e.. £8) and also GIVE A LONGER PERIOD TO PAY (6days).
I feel Londoners and visitors of London are at a huge loss due to TfL certain means of implementation. I believe if you gave 6days for those to pay the London ULEZ, I am certain many people would not default to pay their ULEZ or CC. THIS IS HIGHLY UNFAIR AND UNJUST!
- HOW CAN CERTAIN RULES AND ANOUNTS BE SPECIFIED INDIFFERENTLY FROM OTHER MAIN CITIES IN THE UK. This is bothering horrendous and hypocritical.
The ULEZ charge level was decided upon following evidence-based analysis for the Central London ULEZ in 2015 and following consultation for the inner-London expansion in 2017. For the London-wide ULEZ the charge level has been retained at the existing level.
The Report to the Mayor for the Central London ULEZ published in March 2015 sets out the rationale for the charge level. This stated that the charge level is, “based on the contribution to emissions of the vehicle, the propensity to travel in the zone and the likely response of the vehicle owner.” The supplementary information published for the inner London ULEZ consultation included analysis of the impact of the charge level to determine the extent to which different groups respond to different charge levels.
The supplementary information document for the inner-London ULEZ noted: “The behavioural response to a range of charges for car drivers was modelled using stated preference survey data. At the lower range of charges there was a significantly lower range of expected compliance with the standards as a larger proportion of drivers would opt to stay and pay the charge.”
The Report to the Mayor for the London-wide ULEZ states, “The charge level of £12.50 has proved successful for both the central and the inner London ULEZ. It provides an effective incentive for frequent drivers of noncompliant vehicles to change their vehicles or mode of transport while still allowing infrequent journeys to be affordable.”
Any net revenue received from the ULEZ is reinvested back into improving London’s public transport network, such as expanding bus routes in outer London.
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
Eva Hextall
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London
