Zone Out! Is The ULEZ Expansion Bad For Business?

There has been concerns raised amongst builders’ merchants – and the SME tradespeople who are their customers – that the recent Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expansion will make Greater London a significantly more difficult area in which to operate. As a result of the zone’s boundary changes there is a £12.50 daily charge on non-compliant vehicles across all London boroughs. This means that anyone using a diesel van registered before September 2016, or petrol van registered before January 2006, is now charged to travel almost anywhere within the M25.   There is a significant proportion of small business owners in the sector who rely on non-compliant vehicles, and who are already battling materials price increases, expensive parking fees, and elevated labour costs. It is argued that many will choose not to undertake work in London and, as a consequence, homeowners will find it harder to have improvement works completed on their properties. This, in turn, will hinder government efforts to upgrade our existing housing stock. Professional Builder’s Lee Jones and Paul Davies, Editor of Professional Builders Merchant, speak to Brett Amphlett, Policy & Public Affairs Manager at the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) about the impact of the mayoral clean air initiative on the industry.