Motorcyclists risk £160 fines if they ignore new ULEZ emissions charge
MOTORCYCLISTS are being urged to check their motorbikes are compliant with the new ULEZ system.
Anyone riding a bike that falls outside the rules will have to pay a £12.50 charge to enter the new expanded Ultra Low Emission Zone - or risk a fine of £160.
ULEZ expansion
London’s ULEZ scheme has expanded to cover a much larger area of the capital, with all streets inside the North and South Circular roads now affected.
Whereas the old zone covered only the City, part of Westminster and parts of Lambeth, the new zone now covers the whole of Westminster, Kensington, Camden, Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Greenwich, plus most of Southwark and parts of Barnet.
It’s designed to exclude older, more polluting vehicles, by penalising their owners with the £12.50 charge.
This will help fund Transport for London (TfL) projects, as well as incentivising owners to upgrade their older cars.
Diesel cars that meet Euro 6 emissions standards are exempt and petrol cars that meet Euro 4 emissions standards are exempt.
That means that most modern cars built in the past five years will not incur a charge, but many older ones will.
ULEZ charge for motorbikes
The charge applies to more than just cars, though.
Vans, lorries, buses, coaches and motorcycles will also need to meet emissions criteria.
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Motorbikes, scooters, mopeds and other internal combustion two-wheeled vehicles will need to be Euro 3 emissions standards compliant.
That means that if they were first registered after 2007, they’re probably going to be allowed into the ULEZ area without incurring a charge.
If they’re older than this, though, they may need to be paid for before they enter the zone.
You can check whether your motorcycle is compliant .
It's the same £12.50 charge as any other small vehicle.
If you forget to pay for your journey into the capital, you could receive a fine of £160.
This is reduced if paid quickly.
As with cars, electric motorcycles are exempt from the ULEZ charge.
The scheme currently applies only in London but is expected to roll out to other cities and towns over the coming years.
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