The ULEZ scrappage scheme, which offered cash grants to owners of non-compliant motorcycles, cars and vans if they scrapped their vehicle, ended on 8th September. Intended to enable owners to upgrade to a newer car or bike, it had handed out £186 million to nearly 54,000 successful applicants, who received up to £2000 for a car and £1000 for a scooter or motorcycle. Nearly half of all car/bike owners who applied (around 75,000, according to Transport for London(TfL)) were successful, though had been criticisms of bureaucracy surrounding the scheme, which was launched in August 2023 when ULEZ was expanded to include outer London.

In a statement, TfL said: “The vast majority of people with older, more polluting vehicles have already taken action and application numbers have dropped sharply in recent weeks. With compliance levels in London now at over 96%, the scrappage scheme has been successful in achieving its objectives.”

The Vehicles for Ukraine scheme, which allows non-compliant cars, bikes and vans to be donated to the charity British-Ukrainian Aid, will continue.

Jim Freeman of the BMF added: “ The scheme had reached its natural limit. The assumption that every owner of a non-compliant vehicle would leap at the chance to destroy a cherished bike or car for the equivalent of a pocket full of silver was always going to be limited. Send my 996 to the crusher for some electric device? Dream on.”

Written by Peter Henshaw

Top image courtesy of Transport for London