East London may ban all ICEs and old hybrids from rush hour

The heart of East London may soon be freed from all diesel or gasoline powered and even older hybrid vehicles if a plan by the boroughs of Hackney, Islington and Tower Hamlets comes to pass. The councils want to mark-off two walking and cycling zones during peak times.

Only the cleanest vehicles may soon be allowed to cross East London during the morning and evening rush hour if a proposal by three councils goes ahead.
Gasoline, diesel and even older hybrid vehicles would be permitted to enter nine streets in the inner districts of Shoreditch and Hoxton during the peak commuter periods of 7am-10am and 4pm-7pm Monday to Friday. Citizens are asked to have their say before the proposal is passed.

No other than ultra low emission vehicles such as pure electric cars, e-bikes, and the newest hybrids and hydrogen vehicles, as well as pedestrians and cyclists, would then be able to enter the zone. ULEVs are vehicles that emit less than 75g/km CO2.

Councillor Feryal Demirci, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Transport and Parks specifies: “To start with we’re proposing to ban petrol and diesel vehicles in the morning and evening rush hours to reduce people’s exposure to dangerous fumes and make the streets safer when people are walking and cycling to and from work and school. Our ultimate goal is to reclaim the streets from polluting motor vehicle—this ground breaking scheme is the first step towards doing that.”

The scheme is part funded through the Office For Low Emission Vehicles’ ‘Neighbourhods of the Future’ and forms part of the Mayor of London-funded Low Emission Neighborhood (LEN) scheme.

The same programme also supports the initiative in Central London that offers electric cargo bicycles to businesses in the City of London area (we reported).

For the East London proposal in Shoreditch and Hoxton, the council is asking residents, businesses and people who travel through the area to have their say until February, 14.

Online Survey (Have your say), consultation.hackney.gov.uk, greencarcongress.com