Whether it is called a Low Emission Zone (LEZ), Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), Clean Air Zone (CAZ) or Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ), there are a growing number of urban areas in the United Kingdom where vehicle use is restricted. Indeed, as the criteria for exemption tightens and the area boundaries increase in size, the vehicles that qualify for exemption have altered over the years.
Have you ever wondered whether your Lexus meets or exceeds the minimum emissions standards for use in these areas? Similarly, have you ever wondered whether you are required to pay an additional fee for driving in a city, such as those associated with the London Congestion Charge or expanded Ultra Low Emission Zone?
If so, the following is a straightforward guide to the key charge zones that are operational within the UK. We will also explain how these relate to you as a Lexus owner.
What is the Ultra Low Emission Zone?
The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is a large area that encompasses every London borough and requires vehicles entering it to meet minimum emissions standards. The purpose of this zone is to reduce pollution in the capital and improve air quality.
Passenger cars that do not meet these standards are required to pay a £12.50 daily surcharge. This fee applies 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except Christmas day.
The boundaries of the ULEZ are set and monitored by Transport for London (TfL), and are clearly indicated by road signs and carriageway markings. Since 29 August 2023, the boundaries were expanded to include all London boroughs as well as the City of London (see image below). A small number of postcodes cross the zone boundary, so we recommend using TfL’s postcode checking tool to see if your destination is within the charging zone. Please note that the zone does not include the M25.
Approximately 80% of the vehicles on UK roads already meet minimum ULEZ emissions standards: Euro 4 for petrol (from January 2006) and the tougher Euro 6 for diesel (from September 2015).
This means that every petrol or petrol-electric hybrid Lexus produced since January 2006 is ULEZ compliant and therefore exempt from paying this surcharge.
Check if your older Lexus model is ULEZ compliant by using TfL’s vehicle checking tool.
What is the London Congestion Charge?
The London Congestion Charge is an additional daily fee for driving a vehicle through the very centre of the capital. The aim of this charge is to further reduce traffic and pollution levels within the heart of the Ultra Low Emission Zone during the busiest times of the day. The boundaries of the London Congestion Charge zone are also set and monitored by TfL and clearly indicated by road signs and carriageway markings. The precise area can be seen in the map below.
The £15.00 daily charge for passenger cars applies between 07:00 and 18:00 Monday to Friday, and between 12:00 and 18:00 weekends and bank holidays. No charges are applied in the eight days between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
TfL does allow certain discounts and exceptions for driving through London’s Congestion Charge zone. Among these, the Cleaner Vehicle Discount allows free travel for zero emission battery electric vehicles like the Lexus UX 300e and Lexus RZ 450e, as well as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. You have to pay an annual fee of £10 to register each vehicle for this discount.
Clean air zones: What about other UK cities?
To improve air quality in line with UK government mandates, the following cities in England and Scotland contain zones where daily emissions charges are levied for certain vehicles.
- England: Bath, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Oxford, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Tyneside
- Scotland: Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow
Currently, the cities of Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow and Oxford are the only ones enforcing charges for car drivers. Oxford is the first city in the UK to create a zero emission zone, which means that only zero emission vehicles like the Lexus UX 300e and Lexus RZ 450e are granted free access. The remaining cities charge a fee for cars that do not meet the minimum nationwide emission standard: Euro 4 for petrol (from January 2006) and the tougher Euro 6 for diesel (from September 2015).
This means that every petrol or petrol-electric hybrid Lexus produced since January 2006, as well as every zero emission Lexus model, is compliant with the published standards and therefore exempt from paying these surcharges.
Check the emissions status of your older Lexus models for potential use in Clean Air Zones (England) and Low Emission Zones (Scotland) by typing the vehicle registration number into the DVLA database or the website of the respective local authority.
2005 Lexus LS430 is ULEZ exempt !
Lexus build some beautiful cars gentle on the planet.
“The boundaries of the London Congestion Charge zone are set and monitored by Transport for London (TfL). They are clearly indicated by road signs and carriageway markings and include all areas contained within the North Circular Road (A406) and South Circular Road (A205).”
The above is incorrect!
It does NOT include all areas contained within the North Circular Road (A406) and South Circular Road (A205).
Hybrid cars seem to be cancelled by the ever changing rules concerning travelling around the capital. I will waste my time complaining, but realise that as I am not in the position of being able to buy a new car everytime the mayor moves the goalposts, I am being shut out of my own capital. I am recently disabled and am still awaiting confirmation from my GP to my local authority, but both are on ‘tortoise’ mode, apparently due to the pandemic? The Draconian traffic laws, are not for people, they are simply anti car and pro stealth tax and daylight robbery. I sincerely hope that the present mayor and the office in grneral, are scrapped and all devolved powers, returned to central government. I look forward to seeing how often the mayor will be using the pavement and or public transport after he is no longer mayor. Very little I would imagine
I do not believe the introduction of ULEZ is justified especially when small companies are struggling to make ends meet. For many years congestion charges in London was imposed and what was done with the money generated? The extension of ULEZ means that more suffering will be imposed on many citizens, the debate recently with Martin Lewis and some of the lorry drivers recently concluded that the timing is totally wrong and enough time is not given to the smaller companies to get back on their feet especially after the pandemic. It will be easy for the government not to agree on any sales of the vehicles that will pollute the air, it’s all WIN WIN for the government and the mayor. The government will make profit (vat) on the sale of the new cars and the petrol or fuel cost, then the mayor will have another imposed charges, three years ago 20 mph was introduced in some areas causing more pollution to justify the charges. If you buy a monthly travel card and you only work five days a week that’s another week profit for the mayor. The cost of living has gone up including electric, gas and water charges, my wife is disable, not able to get on the buses and we cannot afford a new car or electric car. I hope that better understanding is considered before the ULEZ is introduced as I do not believe is for the benefit of the majority.