London to Test ULEV Street Restrictions Next Year

London plans to launch a pilot program in April that will limit access to a section of Moor Lane in the center of the city’s financial district to ultra-low-emission vehicles (ULEVs).

The program would prohibit non-ULEV vehicles from entering the street from the south but allow non-compliant cars and trucks to pass through Moor Lane from the north. ULEVs are defined as zero-emission battery and fuel cell electric vehicles, and hybrids that emit fewer than 75 g/km of carbon dioxide.

Two options are being considered for the pilot program. One would enforce the rules around the clock, while the other would run Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.

For the first month of the trial, violators would receive a warning. Unspecified fines would be incurred thereafter. The city plans to post street signs and heavily promote the program through a social media and print campaign in the months leading up to the launch.

This is the latest in a series of initiatives that London has announced over the last few years to reduce traffic congestion and curb air pollution. Other efforts include restrictions on diesel-powered vehicles, lower speed limits and parking incentives for “green” vehicles.

London City Corp. aims to introduce interim zero-emission zones by 2022. Previously announced goals include cutting motor traffic in central London by 25% by 2030 and in 50% by 2044.