The scrappage scheme for vehicles that do not meet the emissions standards of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) is set to close for applications this Saturday.

The Ulez expansion last August extended its coverage to all London boroughs, requiring motorists with non-compliant vehicles to pay a £12.50 daily charge to drive in the city.

Transport for London (TfL) revealed that £186 million has been distributed to nearly 54,000 successful applicants to help them scrap older, more polluting vehicles. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan expressed pride in the scheme, stating it had “supported so many Londoners to switch to cleaner, greener vehicles.”

TfL has assured applicants that any submission made before the deadline will be processed and reviewed for eligibility. London residents with non-compliant vehicles can claim up to £2,000 for cars and up to £7,000 for vans or minibuses. Small businesses can also benefit from these payments. Charities using minibuses are eligible for up to £9,000, while disabled Londoners with wheelchair-adapted vehicles can receive up to £10,000.

The scrappage scheme, which has been running since August, has seen considerable uptake. By 4 August, TfL data showed that more than 36,000 of the 74,993 applications for cars and motorcycles had been approved, alongside 17,936 of the 61,208 applications for vans and minibuses.

BBC London’s transport correspondent, Tom Edwards, noted the scheme faced early challenges with processing delays and errors. However, it ultimately succeeded in distributing over £180 million to Londoners to replace more polluting vehicles.

Last month, TfL’s director of strategy, Christina Calderato, said any remaining funds from the scheme would be considered for other projects aimed at supporting the Mayor’s Transport Strategy. Photo by Matt Brown, Wikimedia commons.