Questions to the Mayor of London – answered at on 18 March 2021.
By how much do you expect your £23m van scrappage scheme to reduce toxic air pollution in London by the end of 2021, in comparison to when it was launched?
I have allocated £48m for scrappage schemes which support low income and disabled Londoners, small businesses and charities to switch to cleaner vehicles and greener forms of transport. The objective of the scheme is to mitigate the financial impact of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).
To date my scrappage scheme for vans and minibuses has supported the scrapping of over 4,700 vehicles, helping small businesses and charities prepare for the ULEZ. We are in the process of analysing the anticipated air quality impacts of our scrappage schemes and will share that data as soon as it is available.
The scheme was suspended to van owners on 28 August 2020 due to unprecedented demand and limited funding. Eligible charities may still apply for the grant, given their vital role in our communities, especially in the current pandemic.
However, in addition to the £48 million, I recently provided an additional £4.2m to enable the extremely popular scrappage schemes to support more small businesses, low income and disabled Londoners and deliver further air quality benefits in London.