Ultra Low Emission Zone Directives

Areas in London within the North and South Circular roads are the designated ULEZ areas. Transport for London plans to use this policy to bar ULEZ non-compliant vehicles from accessing the designated areas. It will run every day of the year, save for 25th December, 24 hours a day.

Motorcycles, specialist vehicles and vans that weigh up to 3.5 tonnes are targeted in this policy. It also affects minibuses weighing up to 5 tones. If they have to pass through the designated areas, a daily fee of £12.50 is incurred if your vehicle doesn't comply with standards. Drivers are encouraged check their vehicle’s compliance and ensure it is on the cleaner emissions list. Currently, the Southern Circular (A205) and Northern Circular (A406) are not included within the Ultra Low Emission Zone.

There are some exceptions to this policy. Lorries, special heavy vehicles and low emission vans that weigh above 3.5 tonnes do not pay the ULEZ fees. The same applies to coaches, minibuses and buses weighing over 5 tonnes. However, they will pay the Low Emission Zone charges if they fail to meet the prescribed standards.

ULEZ Expansion 2023

In keeping with the ULEZ directives, Transport for Van Leasing London plans to roll out the program across all the London boroughs by 29th August 2023. The aim is to keep London a ULEZ city to meet the Euro Emissions Standards by controlling air pollution and improving public health. The only exception to the ULEZ rule is when you have parked your vehicle. According to the London Atmospheric Emission Inventory, motor vehicles are the biggest contributor to nitrogen dioxide in London. Although pollution signals growth and development, it has negatively impacted public health in the city. Cancer, lung diseases and asthma cases are rising, thanks to poor air quality. Since eradicating fuel-powered vehicles takes some time, the government has developed policies to incentivize low emission petrol engine vehicles. Luckily, 4 out of every 5 vehicles in London meet the emission standards. Transport for London has an online system that shows if your car falls within or outside the emission bracket. Vans are among the common means of transport used around the city and are heavily affected by this directive. Manufacturers have become innovative and created vans to suit the purpose.

ULEZ Vans

Vans are popular means of transport among small businesses in London. They offer short-distance transfer for consumer goods across the city and are easy to maintain. Following the directives set by the Euro Emissions Standards, manufacturers have started producing ULEZ-compliant vans. One such product is the Citroen Berlingo Puretech Van. Citroen is a prominent brand in manufacturing of vans, combining affordability with validity in the automotive industry. It has several versions to suit the customer with a range of usage. Each has its value with different practicalities, usability and driving comfort. Most importantly, they have ultra low emission capabilities, which make them fit within the ULEZ zone in London.

We look at the Citroen Berlingo Petrol van, which fits into the requirements. It has a manual transmission with a 110ps engine size running on a petrol engine. Most Citroen vans come in diesel engines, which makes this version unique. Moreover, a well-maintained petrol engine has cleaner emissions which fits into the ULEZ region.

Secondly, any of the Citroen Berlingo PureTech vans have power train options, which makes them ideal for both the long haul and short runs. For household and small-scale deliveries, this is the van for the job. Any well-maintained PureTech petrol engine has complementary features like the 1 tine load capacity, 1-year breakdown capacity and 3-year or 100,000 miles warranty.

Additionally, all the Citroen vans are within the 3.5 tons range, which is ideal for the ULEZ weight bracket. Depending on the total gross weight, a few crosses over, but they can still keep within the range. Any that cross over to the low emission petrol engine category still benefits from the LEZ weight range within the designated area.