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Peter Farrell, who runs a cabinet-making business, has said that his outer-London business will be “negatively impacted” by ULEZ as he does not qualify due to not living in London.
Peter says his business will be financially strained by ULEZ due to not being able to cover the costs to replace his currently non-complaint vehicle.
From August 29, motorists owning a non-compliant vehicle travelling in and around London, including outer London boroughs, will have to pay £12.50 per day to use their vehicle in London.
During a protest in Bromley on August 12, Peter’s van was one of several vehicles that had their tyres slashed, despite the protest being a “peaceful” one.
Peter added that, for him, these events also allow people to raise awareness of ULEZ and what it means for drivers of non-compliant vehicles.
Peter told the News Shopper: “It was more of an awareness day than a protest.
“I say that because of the amount of people that still don’t understand what ULEZ is and what it will mean for people with non-compliant vehicles.
“Come August 29 there’s going to be an awful lot of people that get hit by fines, that have no idea that either the zone exists or it’s going to be expanded, or that their vehicles don’t meet this requirement.”
When the first Low Emission Zone was introduced, Peter said he was forced to change his vehicle to a compliant one to avoid charges.
However, following the announcement of ULEZ extending to all Greater London boroughs including Bromley and Bexley, Peter has said he has been left in a situation where he cannot afford to replace his now non-compliant vehicle.
Peter said: “When the first Low Emission Zone came in, I had to change my vehicle.
“I got a compliant vehicle, which I used for my business.
“Then the goalposts moved again, and the Ultra Low Emission Zone came in, and I had to update my vehicle again.
“I have spent a lot of time and money on my vehicle. I’ve maintained it, I’ve kept it up to what it needs to be, and it’s suited and fitted out to my needs.
“And the cost for me to have to change that vehicle is something that my business cannot afford.”
Peter relies on several vehicles to operate his cabinet making business, for deliveries and carrying out work as a sole trader.
Peter, who lives outside of London but travels into London for work, has already begun to experience situations where he has faced charging customers extra due to having to pay £12.50 to drive into inner and middle London boroughs.
Peter said: “I’m not eligible for any of the scrappage scheme, living outside of London.
“So, I stopped coming to London when the first Ultra Low Emissions Zone was brought in.
“I’ve been a few times to jobs where people have insisted that I help them, or I feel as though I have to help them, and I’ve had to charge the customer extra money.”
“I have completely changed my business so I no longer come into the capital.
“But it isn’t just my business, it’s going to have a massive effect on so many businesses who travel into London for work.”
Currently, eligible sole traders with a registered London address and a non-compliant van or minibus can apply for TFL’s scrappage scheme to have their vehicles scrapped or retrofitted.
Recently the scheme was increased to allow applicants to claim £7,000 to scrap a van, £9,000 to scrap a minibus, £6,000 to retrofit a van or minibus, £9,500 to scrap a van and replace with an electric van, and £11,500 to scrap and replace a minibus with an electric minibus.
From August 29, when ULEZ is rolled out to all of London, Peter has said that the expansion will also have an impact on his social life as well as his business.
Peter said: “I’ve got friends in various parts of London that currently aren’t in the expansion zone, but they will be after August 29.
“And I will no longer be able to take any of my vehicles to them, to see them.
“Or we used to do car hobbies and things like that. I will no longer be able to help them without there being a charge.
“All the talk is focused on Londoners who don’t want it, but there are a lot of people outside London, who want to work in the city and visit people in the city, who will also be affected.”
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London, said: “The Mayor has been clear that the decision to expand the Ultra Low Emission Zone London-wide was not an easy one, but necessary to tackle toxic air pollution and the climate crisis.
“Around 4,000 Londoners die prematurely each year due to toxic air pollution, children are growing up with stunted lungs and thousands of people in our city are developing life-changing illnesses, such as cancer, lung disease, dementia and asthma.
“Sadiq is using limited London-sourced funding to provide a scrappage scheme that should be funded at a national level.
“He is urging councils to join his calls for the Government to support people in the South East to transition to cleaner vehicles, just like it’s doing in other parts of the country.”
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