London City is following along the same lines of many German and European cities and will be testing emission-free traffic & as of April 2019, cars with combustion engines are to be banned from parts of the London financial district within a pilot project.
The City of London wants to test a ban on vehicles with internal combustion engines in a test run. This was announced by the administration of the financial district in the British capital at the request of the German Press Agency last week Wednesday. In the pilot test, the southern part of Moor Lane, a relatively small road, will be closed to vehicles with a clean internal combustion engine.
Driving there may then only cars that are equipped with electric or plug-in hybrid drive. The test phase is expected to start in April 2019. The reason for the attempt is the high exhaust emissions in the narrow street canyons (just like what China experienced a few years ago) of the historic city center of London.
The ban on internal combustion engines could later be extended to other parts of the Square Mile, as the city is also called. The results of the pilot project will be “carefully examined and the results used to make future proposals for other areas”, the statement said.
In parallel with the test phase for the prohibited zone, a new toll for older vehicles will be charged in central London. The ultra low emission zone is congruent with that for the inner city toll Congestion Charge. It must be paid additionally. By October 2021, it is to be extended to almost the entire urban area.
Whose vehicle does not meet the requirements, must pay 12.50 British Pounds (just under 14 euros) toll per day. The congestion charge is 11.50 pounds. For diesel vehicles also falls to another fee. By 2040, Britain wants to ban combustion engines altogether.
