FROM THE CAMBERWELL QUARTERLY

Tony Coleman rounds up news on transport that affects Camberwell

The Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will be expanded towards the M25 from 29 August 2023. The zone regulates the pollution from dirtier vehicles. The map shows the expanded area in pale green with the existing area (since 2021) in darker green and the central congestion charge zone in red. The blue dot is Camberwell. We have been regulated since 2021.

For vehicles that do not meet the standard, the daily charge to pollute our streets is £12.50, payable every day of the year it is used, except Christmas Day. These vehicles are mostly older diesel vehicles. To help those of reduced means, small businesses and charities, a scrappage scheme is available from 30 January 2023 with a £110M fund. For more information go to tfl.gov.uk and search ULEZ.

In 2019 the total vehicle emission of NO_x (a major traffic pollutant) was 15,000 tonnes per year, of which two-thirds was from diesel cars and vans. TfL had worked hard on their bus fleets over the previous years, reducing their annual NO_x emissions from 4000 tonnes in 2013 to 500 tonnes by 2019.

London is now only one of many European cities that regulate traffic emissions. Schemes in Paris, Milan, Grenoble, Amsterdam, and Berlin are among upward of 150 emission zones in the EU. But this is not the end. The Netherlands are introducing a law to ban all sales of new carbon fuelled vehicles from 2027, that’s only four years away. Other countries have similar plans, including UK (2030) and most other European countries (2030-2040). The future is a ZEZ, a zero-emission zone.

On your bike

The 85-place bike park at Denmark Hill is about to become more useable. Located next to the new entrance on Windsor Walk, it was heralded by Network Rail, but to date only an occasional solitary bike has been seen to use it. The problem has been access. From the end of March Thameslink is introducing a new fob-based entry system which should make access easier. Fobs will be available from the ticket office. Once the scheme is running, it will be publicised by posters at the station and on social media, so keep eyes peeled!

Bus routes saved

TfL has announced that none of the changes to routes 12, 45, 148, or 171 will go ahead. The No 12 bus and the No 45 are saved, at least for the moment. Well done those who responded to the consultation. Certain routes elsewhere in London are being trimmed, but on a reduced scale to that proposed last summer. You can find out more at haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/busreview