London's Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced plans to bring forward the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and expand it to cover Greater London.

The charge, which penalises the most polluting vehicles driving in central London, was set to be enforced from 2020 under former Mayor Boris Johnson, in addition to the congestion charge.

Mr Khan has announced he wants to bring forward the implementation of the ULEZ to April 8 2019, as well as expanding the zone to cover areas between the North and South circular for cars and vans by 2021.

By 2020 he wants the charge to be applied to all heavy diesel vehicles, including buses, coaches and lorries within Greater London.

London's Air Pollution

It is estimated that introducing ULEZ in central London will result in nearly a 50 per cent reduction in road transport NOx emissions in 2020.

There will already be a £10 T-charge on vehicles driving within the congestion charging zone that do not meet emissions standards from October this year.

The T-charge has been dubbed 'the toughest enforced emission standard of any world city' and will run until ULEZ is introduced.

The map shows areas in London with the highest number of schools which are at risk of air pollution

Petrol vehicles which don't meet Euro 4 emissions standards and diesel vehicles failing to attain Euro 6 standards will be charged the daily ULEZ fee of £12.50 for cars, vans and motorbikes and £100 for buses, coaches and HGVs.

Approximately petrol cars more than 13 years old in 2019, and diesel cars more than 4 years old in 2019, will not meet the new standards.

Unlike the congestion charge, the charge will apply 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The charge will not apply to London's black taxis.

People living within the ULEZ zone will have a "sunset period" where charges will not apply for them until April 2022, giving them three years to arrange a replacement vehicle.

Vehicles adapted for use by disabled drivers or passengers will be exempt from the charge until September 2023, the Mayor has proposed.

Heavy Goods Vehicles entering the ULEZ zone, which could spread as far as the boundaries of central London, would be forced to pay a £100 a day charge.

Mr Khan said: "I want to announce my intention to consult on these proposals in good time so that business and those affected by new charges will have time to make changes they need to adapt to our low emission requirements."

"Now I urge the Government to step up and match my ambition to transform the appalling air we breathe.

"Ministers need to deliver a national vehicle scrappage fund, reform fiscal incentives like vehicle excise duty and pass a powerful new Clean Air Act to Act end the toxic smog in London once and for all.”