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  "path": "/lifestyle/cars/london-council-ulez-charges-diesel-hillingdon",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-16T13:59:31.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Motorists face road bans and fines as police operation tackles dangerous drivers before summer",
    "Oil crisis forces petrol and diesel drivers to give up cars as Britons struggle with fuel costs",
    "Drivers urged to claim refunds after Surrey council issued thousands of incorrect parking fines",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nA London council has admitted that it spent almost half a million pounds on charges from the Ulez scheme due to non-compliant petrol and diesel vehicles.\n\nData shows that Hillingdon Council spent £499,090 on fees from the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) as its 295-strong fleet of vehicles failed to meet regulations.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nOf the almost 300 vehicles operated by the council across the borough, just three are electric, while six are hybrid.\n\nThe remaining 286 are all diesel, with 26 being non-compliant with Ulez rules, resulting in the council spending hundreds of thousands of pounds.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nDrivers and businesses must adhere to Ulez rules, which include Euro 4 for petrol cars, vans, minibuses and other specialist vehicles and Euro 6 for diesel variants of these vehicles.\n\nEuro 4 vehicles are generally cars which were made in 2005 and light vans from 2006 onwards, while Euro 6 became mandatory for HGVs and buses from 2014, September 2015 for cars and September 2016 for larger vans.\n\nData obtained through a Freedom of Information request from the Local Democracy Reporting Service identified the large number of non-compliant vehicles among Hillingdon's fleet.\n\nThe council declared a climate emergency in January 2020 and has placed reducing emissions among some of its most important targets.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nIt added that it had purchased new diesel vehicles which offer the \"best balance of performance and value for money\", MyLondon reported.\n\nA spokesperson said: \"As one of London's largest boroughs, with one of the capital's longest road networks, Hillingdon needs a substantial and varied fleet, including specialist vehicles, to deliver essential services across greater distances.\"\n\nIt acknowledged that electric technology was constantly improving, although diesel still provided the council with certain efficiency benefits.\n\nThe spokesperson said older vehicles were being phased out to ensure the fleet performs as best as it can.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * Motorists face road bans and fines as police operation tackles dangerous drivers before summer\n  * Oil crisis forces petrol and diesel drivers to give up cars as Britons struggle with fuel costs\n  * Drivers urged to claim refunds after Surrey council issued thousands of incorrect parking fines\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nHillingdon Council said its Ulez costs were continuing to fall, with a goal of having all of its vehicles be Ulez-compliant by the end of the year.\n\nThe Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Committee announced in April that the high upfront costs of electric models remained a barrier to switching.\n\nCouncillor Stuart Mathers, leader of Hillingdon Labour, accused the Conservative council of being too slow on the issue.\n\nHe noted that Labour had consistently called for the modernisation of the council's fleet to reduce maintenance costs.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nDrivers are charged £12.50 for cars, motorcycles, vans and specialist vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes and minibuses up to five tonnes, to drive inside the Ulez.\n\nThose who fail to pay the Ulez charge can be slapped with a £180 fine, although it will be reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days.\n\nThese fines apply to Cars, vans, motorcycles, motor tricycles, mopeds, motor caravans, ambulances and minibuses.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "London council forced to pay £500,000 in Ulez charges for non-compliant diesel vehicles"
}