Emilia Fox and Felicity Kendal were spotted driving out to enjoy the mild weather this weekend – but there are storm clouds ahead for their diesel cars.
The actresses are among 300,000 drivers whose homes fall within London’s expanded low emissions zone today – meaning they must pay £12.50 daily to use their environmentally unfriendly cars.
Commuters who drive can choose to pay £250 a month.
The capital’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) becomes 18 times bigger today, snaring many thousands more cars – including Miss Kendal’s Land Rover and Miss Fox’s Audi.
Tens of thousands more motorists from the surrounding Home Counties will be affected by the closure.
Emilia Fox was spotted out driving her diesel car this weekend ahead of London’s Ultra Low Emission zone coming into force
Felicity Kendal opens her car door. She is one of 300,000 drivers whose homes fall within London’s expanded low emissions zone
It will be enforced with number-plate recognition cameras. The rules will most likely apply to diesel cars manufactured before 2015 and petrol cars manufactured before 2006.
Sadiq Khan, London mayor, launched a scrappage program to help families in need and car owners who are vulnerable to replace their older polluting vehicles.
Those on certain benefits or disability allowances can obtain a £2,000 grant to scrap non-compliant vehicles.
However, it has only helped 6,700 motorists so far. There is still enough money in the pot to help 1,000 more. Only one-third of 43 motorists who were affected by the expansion received assistance.
The AA urged Mr Khan to institute a grace period, like the one offered by Birmingham when it established a Clean Air Zone in June.
AA president Edmund King said: ‘The mayor reckons 100,000 cars will fall foul of the ULEZ on Monday – the AA calculates that it will hit at least three times that number, most of them low-income families.
Drivers within London’s expanded low emissions zone will have to pay £12.50 daily to use their diesel cars
‘Birmingham gave residents a two-year exemption and workers a one-year exemption if they earn less than £30,000 and spend at least 18 hours a week at premises within the zone.
‘London needs to understand how critical a car can be for families and workers, many of them juggling multiple jobs to make ends meet.’
Howard Cox, founder of the campaign FairFuelUK, said: ‘The mayor’s selfishness, huge ego and amoeban mentality to road transport is not only trashing London, he is also ruining people’s lives and livelihoods.’
Until last night the ULEZ was limited to central London. It now extends to the inner borders of the North Circular and South Circular roads.
Transport for London, the operator of the scheme, said that it will bring nitrogen dioxide levels to 90 per cent of roads within the scheme’s boundaries below the official limit, which is 40 micrograms/m cubed.
Paul Cowperthwaite, TfL’s road charges boss, said the scrappage scheme helped more than 80 per cent of vehicles in the zone become compliant.
He added: ‘People from low-income households are more likely to live in areas of high pollution and will benefit from the expanded ULEZ.
‘People’s health and lives are at stake… it must be implemented now.’