Motorbike insurer Bikesure recently surveyed 1,000 commuters in London to find out how the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) has impacted them. Bikesure’s first conducted its ULEZ survey in 2019. Even though the ULEZ has been temporarily suspended to support key workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, this survey explores the real changes the ULEZ has made on the lives of London commuters, one year on.

The designated Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) was introduced in central London on 8 April 2019. The ULEZ is a 24/7 traffic management and emission reduction scheme which operates within the existing Congestion Charging Zone (CCZ) and is set to expand to the North and South Circular roads in 2021.

The survey found that:

• 65.3% of Londoners changed their usual mode of transport

• 34.7% did not change their usual mode of transport

The survey found that most Londoners changed their vehicles 1-3 months after the ULEZ was implemented, while more than a quarter changed before the ULEZ was implemented on 8 April 2019.

• 28.3% changed before the ULEZ was implemented on 8 April 2019

• 45.2% changed 1-3 months after the ULEZ was implemented

• 19.9% changed 4-6 months after the ULEZ was implemented

• 4.0% changed 7-9 months after the ULEZ was implemented

• 2.6% changed 10+ months after the ULEZ was implemented

Commuters in London were also given a multiple choice question to see which combination of transportation modes and services they changed to after the ULEZ was introduced on 8 April 2019. The survey showed that:

• 64% of those who changed their usual mode of transport now use public transport

• 43.5% of those who changed their usual mode of transport now walk

• 22.8% of those who changed their usual mode of transport now use a low-emissions car

• 19.6% of those who changed their usual mode of transport now use a low-emissions motorcycle or scooter/moped

• 17% of those who changed their usual mode of transport now use a push bike

As part of the survey, commuters in London were given a multiple choice question to find out how the ULEZ has affected them. The survey showed that:

• 31.1% said that the ULEZ doesn’t affect them

• 26.7% can’t afford to drive/ride in the ULEZ anymore

• 23.7% drive/ride in the ULEZ zone less than they used to

Londoners were also given a multiple choice question about the ULEZ expansion, in which the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will expand to the North and South Circular roads in 2021:

• 30.9% of people said that they won’t be able to afford to drive/ride in London anymore

• 35.1% of Londoners said that it won't make a difference to them

• 25.3% will drive/ride in London less than they do now

• 12.8% will change to a low-emissions mode of transport

It’s quite telling that over 30% of people say they won’t be able to afford to drive or ride in London after the expansion. Will they be able to rely on public transport? If public transport doesn’t suit their needs and cost is a real factor for those people, then they’re unlikely to be in a position to purchase a Euro 4 (or 6) engined car, so they may well consider scooters and other motorcycles for their personal transport across the city. It will be very interesting to see how different the city’s roads will look at the start of 2022 compared with the start of 2020.

—Robert Balls, Bikesure Business Manager