London's mayor will offer incentives to all drivers to scrap old petrol or diesel vehicles in a bid to calm an outcry over a clean air scheme which has put pressure on the opposition Labour Party before national elections expected next year.
Opposition to a daily charge of 12.50 pounds ($15.90) for vehicles which are not compliant was a factor in the Labour Party's failure to win an election in an area of suburban London last month.
"I've continued to listen to Londoners' concerns in recent months," Khan said in a statement late on Thursday. "Every single Londoner with a non-ULEZ compliant vehicle will now be eligible for financial support."
A 2,000-pound grant would now be offered to everyone and the existing scrappage payments offered to charities, businesses and others would also be increased.
Khan plans to extend ULEZ to cover almost all of Greater London, covering an extra five million people in outer boroughs, from Aug. 29. City Hall estimates 90% of cars in outer London are already ULEZ-compliant. Opponents challenge that figure.
Labour has a lead of about 20 percentage points over Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Conservatives. Sunak is expected to call a national election before the end of 2024.
($1 = 0.7861 pounds)
