Up to 780,000 motorists in London are still trying to sell cars which do not comply with the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) – just five days before the area is expanded.

Mayor Sadiq Khan‘s extension of Ulez from next Tuesday will see the scheme cover all London boroughs and force drivers of non-compliant vehicles to pay £12.50 a day.

And 18 per cent of Londoners are still planning on selling their vehicle ahead of the controversial expansion, according to a study by used car marketplace Motorway.

It added that some of the most popular Ulez-complaint models including the Audi A1 and Nissan Qashqai have risen in price by up to 7 per cent over the past month. 

The research also found 14 per cent of Londoners have now sold their car because of the expansion, and 39 per cent cannot afford to buy a car that is Ulez compliant.

Experts claim demand for non-Ulez compliant cars is holding firm in areas outside London which do not have clean air zones – with used cars retaining their value amid continuing supply shortages since the pandemic began creating a seller’s market.

The UK’s used car market grew 4 per cent in the first half of 2023, with 1,832,267 vehicles changing hands in the second quarter of this year – up by 72,583 on the same period in 2022, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

An advert from Motorway on a billboard in London ahead of the Ulez expansion next Tuesday

An advert from Motorway on a billboard in London ahead of the Ulez expansion next Tuesday

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan (pictured in Ealing on August 8) will expand Ulez next Tuesday

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan (pictured in Ealing on August 8) will expand Ulez next Tuesday

And Motorway said the average sold price of used cars on its platform increased by 5.44 per cent from the end of June to mid-August.

How prices are rising for Ulez compliant cars 

Motorway said the average sold price of used cars on its website increased by 5.44 per cent from then end of June to mid-August.

These particular models – all of which are under five years old, and therefore Ulez compliant – are up, month on month from July to August:

  • Audi A1 – up 6.72%
  • Nissan Qashqai – up 4.92%
  • Ford Kuga – up 3.96%
  • Hyundai Tuscan – up 2.81%
  • Audi A3 – up 2.3%
  • Volkswagen Golf – up 1.44%

Of 25,000 Ulez compliance checks in the last 30 days, 8,944 vehicles were non-compliant (34%). Here is the proportion of these non-compliant vehicles, by model:

  • Ford 15%
  • Mercedes 11%
  • Volkswagen 10%
  • BMW 9%
  • Vauxhall 7%

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It added that some Ulez-complaint models under five years old and had seen prices jump between July and August – including the Audi A1, up by an average of 6.7 per cent; Nissan Qashqai, up 4.9 per cent; and Ford Kuga, up 4.0 per cent.

Others posting rises were the Hyundai Tuscan, up 2.8 per cent; the Audi A3, up 2.3 per cent; and the Volkswagen Golf, up 1.5 per cent. Prices were flat for the Ford Fiesta, Jaguar F and Volkswagen Tiguan.

Motorway said users of its website had made 25,000 Ulez compliance checks in a recent 30-day period, with 8,944 vehicles coming back non-compliant, or 34 per cent.

Of these non-compliant vehicles, 15 per cent were Ford, 11 per cent Mercedes, 10 per cent Volkswagen, 9 per cent BMW and 7 per cent Vauxhall.

Motorway also said its research found 71 per cent of Londoners say the car they currently drive is Ulez compliant, and 36 per cent are ‘deeply concerned’ about the impact the expansion will have on their personal finances.

Meanwhile, 42 per cent of Londoners fear they will not get a good price if they were to sell their non-compliant model, while 52 per cent said they would not be able to pay the £12.50 fee every time they drive in the Ulez zone.

Some 26 per cent are concerned they will not be able to afford to switch to public transport, and 46 per cent agree that the cost-of-living crisis means they cannot afford to switch to an electric vehicle or compliant petrol car.

Meanwhile 24 per cent of Londoners agreed that the expansion would inhibit their ability to travel to work.

Alex Buttle, co-founder of Motorway, which has a network of more than 5,000 verified car dealers, told MailOnline: ‘With London’s Ulez expanding on August 29, car owners across Greater London are deciding if they need to sell.

The expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) is due to come into force on August 29

The expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) is due to come into force on August 29

Protesters demonstrate against the expansion in Orpington, South East London, on August 19

Protesters demonstrate against the expansion in Orpington, South East London, on August 19

‘In the final days leading up to the expansion date, we are seeing car values changing, with the price of some compliant models going up due to demand.

‘And while non-compliant cars could see a drop in value, much of the UK still sits outside of clean air zones, so with the UK used car market as strong as it is, there will still be willing buyers for these non-compliant models.’

It comes amid ongoing controversy about the so-called ‘war on motorists’ which opponents of Mr Khan claim he is carrying out – but he denies is the case.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has blamed the Ulez policy for his party’s recent by-election loss in Uxbridge last month, which will now be included in the scheme.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has urged Mr Khan to ‘think twice’ about the expansion, while Sir Keir suggested cities should look at other options for tackling air pollution.

Mr Khan has previously admitted his decision to expand Ulez was ‘very difficult’ but insisted it would ‘see five million more Londoners being able to breathe cleaner air’.

But the Mayor has seen his popularity plummet among suburban voters, who will be impacted by the expansion.

Anti-Ulez protestors demonstrate on July 29 outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London

Anti-Ulez protestors demonstrate on July 29 outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London

He now has a popularity rating of minus 12 across the capital, according to a survey of 1,000 Londoners by pollsters YouGov, with 52 per cent of respondents viewing him unfavourably, compared with 40 per cent favourably.

Yet in outer boroughs, Mr Khan’s net rating plunges to minus 24.

Reports have also emerged this week that Government plans to potentially block the Ulez expansion have been shelved.

Cabinet ministers are said to have been exploring using a little-known legal power allowing them to overrule Transport for London (TfL) plans where they are inconsistent with national policies.

But Government lawyers have apparently said the challenge would fail in the courts, the Daily Telegraph reported.

In other Ulez news this week, it appears drivers who breach the rules of the new regulations may initially be warned rather than fined because TfL is being given ‘discretion’.

TfL says it can use its ‘discretion’ to issue warning letters instead of penalty charge notices (PCNs).

The AA said it is ‘essential’ that drivers are not fined ‘until the system beds in’ across the new Ulez areas.

Traffic passes signs indicating the Ulez boundary near Hanger Lane in West London on July 22

Traffic passes signs indicating the Ulez boundary near Hanger Lane in West London on July 22

A spokesperson for the Mayor told MailOnline today: ‘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. 

‘Around 4,000 Londoners die prematurely each year due to 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.

‘Nine out of ten cars seen driving in outer London on an average day are already Ulez compliant and their drivers will not have to pay the charge. 

‘The Mayor is doing all he can to support Londoners with the switch to cleaner vehicles, and has expanded the scrappage scheme so that every Londoner with a non-compliant car is eligible to apply for a £2,000 grant. 

‘Most vehicle scrappage companies also give customers money for their vehicle on top of the TfL grant – meaning people can often get hundreds of pounds more to scrap their car.

‘With just days to go until the Ulez expands to the whole of London, the Mayor is urging everyone to first use TfL’s vehicle checker to check if their car is compliant, and if it isn’t, to apply as quickly as possible for the scrappage scheme. TfL are turning around applications as quickly as possible and the response times are good.’

Sources close to the Mayor have also insisted there are many affordable Ulez compliant cars available on the market, with a search of one major vehicle trading website on August 3 revealing there were nearly 5,000 for sale for under £2,000 within 200 miles of Central London. 

This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk

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